Love Comes Once
by Cindy Ryan
Summary: When Sloan discovers she's pregnant she disappears
1. Default Chapter

Title: Love Comes Once   
Summary: After discovering she is pregnant Sloan disappears   
  
For once in her life Sloan Parker wished she had a camera. Or better yet a video   
camera. The look on her best friend's face right now was absolutely priceless. Doctor   
  
Ed Tate rocked back on his heels as he studied the dark haired woman,"Say that   
again?"   
  
Sloan giggled as she tossed one of the couch's pillows at him,"I said I was pregnant."   
  
Ed wasn't quite quick enough to catch the pillow so consequently it hit him square in   
the face. "Y-You're have a baby?"   
  
Sloan grinned as she stood and headed toward the small kitchen in her apartment. It   
was Saturday and she and Ed were having their traditional 'the weekend's finally   
here' celebratory breakfast.   
  
"That's usually how it works."Sloan replied as she poured pancake batter onto the   
small grill.   
  
Finally regaining his composure enough to form a semi-coherent sentence. The young   
brown haired man stood and walked over to the kitchen counter struggling to control   
the rage that was building. His friend was putting up a brave front but he could see the   
anxiety and fear in her eyes. If Daniels had taken advantage of her in any way shape   
or form Ed would personally string the man up by his fingernails.   
  
"Sloan,level with me."Ed pleaded as his hands gripped the counter,"This happened   
while you and Daniels were on the run,didn't it?"   
  
Sloan's grip tightened on the wooden spoon as she turned to face him. She hadn't   
missed the fact that he was now calling Tom by his last name. "He didn't force himself   
on me,Ed if that's what you're thinking."   
  
"He's always had a spell on you."Ed protested as he leaned against the counter.   
  
Turning back to the pancakes Sloan closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten. She   
knew Ed was only being concerned. That he was only asking these questions with her   
best interest at heart. In his defense she had just dropped quite a bombshell. "Tom   
and I are in love."Sloan corrected as she flipped three of the pancakes.   
  
Ed ran a hand over his face,"Then why isn't he here with you,Sloan?"   
  
Sloan couldn't hide the shadow of pain that flickered across her face,"He thinks he's   
protecting us."   
  
"He's protecting himself,Sloan."   
  
"That's not true and you know it!"Sloan protested as she whirled to face him,"Ed,you   
didn't see him. You didn't see him after Lewis reprogrammed him. Even in that   
state,when he had no control over his actions he still did everything he could to protect   
me."   
  
Ed sighed,"And I'm forever grateful for that,but it still doesn't excuse....."   
  
"I didn't tell Atwood this when you two found us."Sloan said in a soft voice as she   
leaned against the counter,"Lewis gave Tom a choice."   
  
Ed froze,"What kind of choice?"   
  
"That he would let me go unharmed if Tom returned to them."   
  
"He agreed to that?"Ed asked in amazement,"Knowing what kind of *man* Lewis is?   
Knowing what his life was like with them?"   
  
Sloan nodded sadly,"Yes."   
  
"Does he know?"Ed asked softly.   
  
Sloan shook her head,"No,I only found out two days ago."She rested her chin on her   
hand as she looked at her friend,"Ed,I could really use your support."   
  
Tate took her hand in his squeezing it gently,"You have it,on one condition."   
  
Sloan looked at him warily,"What?"   
  
"I want to take you back to the lab,run some tests. Make sure everything's okay."   
  
Sloan gently touched his face,"Alright."She agreed softly,"But first we eat."   
  
  
********   
  
Three hours later Ed had all the necessary tests running and was waiting for the results   
to come up on his desk computer.  
  
"I have one favor to ask of you."Sloan said softly as she stood by the office window   
watching the busy lab  
  
"Anything."Ed replied as he scooted closer to the desk leaning his elbows on the   
surface.  
  
"Don't tell Atwood about the baby."Sloan pleaded softly as her right hand absently   
fiddled with her gold chain link necklace.  
  
"I......"Ed started to say but his friend didn't seem to hear him.  
  
"I don't want my child to become a test subject,"Sloan replied,"Whatever happens I   
need you to promise me that."  
  
Ed walked around the desk coming to stand behind her,"You have my   
word,Sloan.Atwood won't find out that the baby is Daniels."  
  
Sloan turned to face him eyes briming with unshed tears,"Thankyou."  
  
Ed smiled gently as he brushed a stray brown hair away from her face,"But what are   
you going to tell him?"  
  
Sloan shook her head as she pulled away from him,"I don't know,Ed. I guess I'll just   
say I had a one night stand......."  
  
Ed folded his arms across his chest,"Or you could say it was mine."  
  
  
  
* * *  
Chicago,IL  
  
FBI agent Thomas Daniels stood leaning against a railing at the bustling Navy pier.  
The early spring sun was obscured by dark clouds that threatened a thunderstorm but   
Tom stayed where he was.  
Not caring.  
  
It had been almost a month since Lewis had kidnapped Sloan.  
Almost a month since his former mentor had forced the pair on the run.  
Four weeks since he had last held Sloan in his arms.  
  
God,how he missed her.  
He never thought he could miss another person this much.  
The empty,cold feeling in his chest told him different.  
  
He thought of her constantly. Wondering what she was doing. What she was feeling.   
Did she hate him for leaving? For going back to Lewis? Did she realize why he had   
done what he had?  
  
"Thinking of your lady love?"A voice said behind his left shoulder.  
  
Tom stiffened as he recognized the voice but didn't turn,"Are you that bored,Lewis   
that you have to follow me around?"  
  
Lewis came to stand next to his former pupil,"You turned your phone off."  
  
"I had no need for it."Tom replied quietly.  
  
Lewis gripped Tom's right shoulder whirling the dark haired man around and sending   
him back several feet. "Get this straight. You have no life. You have no free thoughts.   
Your life is mine. You do as I say,you are within contact whenever I need to get in   
contact is that perfectly clear?"  
  
Tom's eyes narrowed sharply but he bit his tounge,"Crystal."  
  
*******   
  
Sloan shook her head as she turned away from her friend,"Thankyou for the sweet   
offer Ed,but I can't take advantage of you like that."  
  
Ed didn't miss the pain that flickered across her face,"Its hardly taking adavantage if I   
volunteered."  
  
Sloan crossed over to the file cabinet, "You've already had to lie too much in this   
whole mess and I don't want you to have to do it again."  
  
Ed placed a gentle hand on her shoulder turning her to face him,"This is one lie I don't   
mind. You know of the estranged relationship with my parents,Sloan. You're the   
closest thing I have to family. I want to help if you'll let me."  
  
Sloan gently touched his right cheek as she felt tears start to flow,"Thankyou,my   
friend."  
  
* * *  
  
Lewis leaned against a nearby bench looking out at Lake Michigan,"Now that we   
have an understanding I have a job for you."  
  
Tom stiffened knowing what was coming. He didn't know if he could kill again,but if it   
would protect Sloan and her friends.......  
  
"You're next target is Doctor Edward Tate."Lewis said turning to face him,"I believe   
you two are already acquainted?"  
  
Tom leaned against the railing,"Why?"  
  
Lewis glared at him,"You are not to question my orders,you know that. You have   
your assignment."  
  
Reluctantly Tom turned to leave,"As you wish." He knew Lewis was testing him by   
choosing Sloan's best friend as his first target. For her sake as well as Tate's Tom had   
to play Lewis's game.  
At least this way he would be back in the city of Angels.  
He would be able to see her.  
If she wanted him to see her.   
  
*********  
  
  
During the following three days Ed had barely left her alone. Sloan sighed as she sat at   
her desk,she knew he was only looking out for her best interests. She also knew that   
if Ed didn't start giving her some distance Atwood would become suspicious. Sloan   
hadn't had the opportunity to tell her boss about her pregnancy. She was still debating   
about telling him at all.   
  
The only reason he wasn't here now was because she had finally convinced him to go   
home and get some sleep. Granted it was nearly one in the afternoon but she knew he   
hadn't slept very much since she had told him about the baby.   
  
Sloan sighed as she felt a migraine start to form behind her eyes. This should be the   
happiest time in her life.   
She and Tom should be celebrating ,making plans.   
Instead he was god knows where doing god knows what under Lewis's orders.   
She didn't even have a phone number to contact him.   
Sloan glanced out the window,she missed him so much.   
  
The main thing she wanted more than anything in the world right now was something   
Ed couldn't give her.   
She needed Tom's arms around her.   
She needed to hear his voice telling her everything was okay.   
Sloan just wished she knew if she was ever going to see him again.   
  
* * *   
  
Ed Tate closed the door to his apartment and leaned back against it. His eyes drifted   
closed as weariness washed over him. The last few months were finally starting to   
catch up with him.   
  
Finding the pillar ,then watching it being destroyed. Sloan being kidnapped.   
Lewis forcing her on the run.   
Kelly.   
  
Ed's eyes snapped open at the last thought. He just realized this was the first time he   
had really been in his apartment since she had died. With everything that had gone on   
the last few months the only sleep he had gotten was a catnap or two at the lab. The   
only time he had come by his apartment was to grab a change of clothes.   
  
Not bothering to turn on the light the young doctor moved through the living room   
toward his bedroom. Ed paused in the doorway,there was no way he could sleep in   
that room. Even though Atwood had gotten the lab to replace his bed the room was   
still full of memories. Memories of how he had failed a friend who had trusted him to   
help her.   
  
So engrossed in his thoughts Ed didn't see the shadow come up behind him. Couldn't   
react fast enough when the assailant tackled him to the floor.   
  
*******  
  
Deciding she wasn't getting anything done in her office Sloan decided to go for a   
walk,maybe grab something to eat. It was such a beautiful day maybe some sun   
would do her some good. Atwood caught her just as she was leaving her office.  
  
"Hi,"She said a little too brightly,"I was just going to grab a late lunch can I bring you   
back anything?"  
  
The older man shook his head wearily as he closed the door,"I need to talk to you."  
  
Sloan stiffened,preparing herself for another argument about Tom,"What about?"she   
asked carefully.  
  
"The pillar data disks are missing."Walter Atwood replied softly as he sat down on the   
corner of her desk.   
  
"What?"Sloan asked in surprise recalling that Ed had spent days after the explosion   
putting all the data he could remember on a set of computer disks,"That's not possible.   
Ed made three backups."   
  
"Those are also gone."   
  
* * *   
  
Ed managed to free himself from his attackers grasp with a swift left hook. Once on   
his feet Ed scrambled for the nearest light switch,"Daniels."Tate acknowledged as he   
grabbed a baseball bat from the hall closet.  
  
Slightly dazed Tom struggled to his feet leaning heavily on the bedroom's   
doorframe,"I'm not here to hurt you."   
  
"Could've fooled me."Ed replied as he gingerly touched the back of his head.   
  
Tom steadied himself and took a few steps toward Sloan's friend,"Lewis and his   
people are watching me I had to make this look real."   
  
Ed shook the cobwebs out of his mind as he focused on the man in front of him,"Sloan   
said you made some kind of deal with him."   
  
Tom nodded,"Yes. I need you to do me a favor. I need you to give a message to   
Sloan have her meet me later tonight."  
  
Ed finally lowered the baseball bat,but didn't loosen his grip on it,"That's not a good   
idea."  
  
Tom felt his heart plummet at Tate's statement. So Sloan did hate him. "She doesn't   
want to see me?"   
  
Ed adverted his eyes,"That's not it."   
  
Daniels didn't miss the shadow of worry that crossed Tate's face,"Then what is it?"   
  
Ed walked over to the sofa and sat down on the edge,"This just isn't a good time right   
now."   
  
A knot of fear started to form in the pit of Tom's stomach,"Did something happen   
after I left? Is she sick?"   
  
Ed's thoughts flew to the baby. He knew what Sloan needed more than anything right   
now was Daniels. Part of him,however, wanted to protect her from him. "Its not my   
place to tell Sloan's business."Ed replied softly.   
  
*********  
  
  
"What aren't you telling me?"Sloan asked softly as she leaned against the doorframe.  
  
"We have evidence that Kelly Hammond took them."  
  
Sloan shook her head,"That's impossible. She was under Ed's care the entire time she   
was here."  
  
Attwood nodded,"That's exactly my point."  
  
* * *  
  
"I know you've never trusted me,"Tom began softly,"But you must know by now that   
I would never hurt Sloan."  
  
"Not intentionally,no."Ed agreed as he absently spun the bat between his hands,"You   
didn't see her when you left."  
  
"You still don't get the threat that Lewis is,do you?"Tom asked shaking his head   
slightly.  
  
"I understand that Lewis is only one man. One small part of this puzzle."  
  
Tom glared at the doctor,"One very powerful man......"  
  
Ed stood,"Sloan is the closest thing to family that I have right now. I will not see her get   
hurt by you or Lewis or anyone else. Now if you don't mind I'd like to get a few   
hours sleep before I have to get back to the lab."  
  
Tom nodded curtly before turning and walking toward the door.  
  
"I know you think you're only looking out for Sloan's best interests by keeping me   
away,"Tom said softly as he paused in the doorway,"But there are things that your   
species can't control and never will no matter how hard you try."  
  
*********  
  
  
With a half empty container of Chinese takeout sitting in the center of her desk Sloan   
Parker contemplated her conversation with Atwood. Frowning she tossed the   
chopsticks back into the box. She knew Kelly would never have taken those disks.  
  
At least not under her own free will.  
  
She had always assumed Kelly and Ed had some kind of romantic relationship. Sloan   
had just never known how serious it was. She knew Ed was devasted by her death.   
Sloan had tried to convince him that Kelly's death wasn't his fault,but he wouldn't   
hear of it.   
  
As if he had been waiting for the perfect cue a slightly haggard looking Ed Tate   
stepped through her office door. Sloan quickly rose to her feet when she saw his   
face,"Ed?! What happened?"  
  
Ed caught her hand as he turned his face away from her,"Its not as bad as it looks."  
  
Sloan shook her head as she ushered him over to a nearby chair forcing him to take a   
seat,"Are you going to tell me what happened or am I going to have to play twenty   
questions?"  
  
Ed watched as she went back behind her desk to remove a first aid kit from one of   
the lower drawers. He knew he should tell her that Daniels was back in town,but for   
some reason he just couldn't bring himself to do it.  
  
"It was just my own stupid fault,Sloan."Ed replied softly as he gingerly touched the   
large cut above his left eye,"I forgot to leave a light on in my apartment when I took a   
nap this afternoon. So when I got up I tripped over my own feet,then over a pair of   
shoes before slamming into the corner of my dresser."  
  
Sloan moistened a cotton swab with iodine while shaking her head,"Nice try, Ed, but   
dressers don't give you black eyes. You want to try telling me the truth this time?"  
  
Ed winced as the iodine seeped into the cut,"Someone jumped me as soon as I   
stepped into my apartment."  
  
Sloan looked at him in shock,"Why didn't you call me as soon as it happened?"  
  
Ed gave her a pointed look before glancing down at her stomach.  
  
Sloan glared at him,"Get your mind back to the 90's Ed. I may be pregnant but I'm   
not an invalid! I could have helped and you know it."  
  
Tate tenderly captured her hand as she went to reapply the iodine,"I didn't know how   
many more of them there were,Sloan. I could not and would not put you or the baby   
in any danger."  
  
Sloan placed a bandage across the cut before quietly putting the first aid kit away. She   
stood behind her desk looking at her friend before sinking into her chair,"This day just   
keeps getting better and better."  
  
Ed scooted the chair forward,"What?"  
  
Sloan shook her head sadly,"I had an interesting conversation with Atwood earlier this   
afternoon and you're not going to like what he had to say."  
  
Ed grinned,"So what else is knew.Just tell me."  
  
Sloan sighed before recanting her meeting with Atwood.   
  
*********  
  
Lewis jumped involuntarily as his cellular phone rang. The gray haired man quickly moved to the left side of the airport corridor as he took the phone out of his coat   
pocket.   
  
"Lewis."He answered briskly his blue eyes never leaving the steady stream of passengers.   
  
"I was under the impression that you were the best recovery agent we had."A man's deep baritone replied back through the static.   
  
Lewis felt a chill race through him as he recognized the voice,"I *am* the best."   
  
"Then why is Daniels still out there?"   
  
"I'm handling the Daniels situation."Lewis replied as he leaned against the wall.   
  
"You said that two months ago and then I saw his face plastered all over the evening news!"   
  
Lewis sighed inwardly,"I *am* handling this situation. There is no need for you to get involved."   
  
The man chuckled,"Didn't you know who was pulling your strings,Lewis? I have been involved from the beginning. I will continue to be involved until Tom Daniels is   
punished for his acts of treason."   
  
"Everything is under......."Lewis began but trailed off when he realized he was listening to the dial tone.   
  
Lewis shut off the phone and placed it in his black duffel bag. /I really hope you've come back to us this time,Tom./Lewis thought grimly as he headed toward his   
gate,/Or it won't be just me you have to answer to./   
  
* * *   
  
Ed Tate shot to his feet and began to pace the small area behind his chair,"That's impossible! Only you,me, and Attwood knew where I had put the backup disks."   
  
Sloan absently fiddled with a pencil as she sat behind her desk,"Is it possible that Kelly followed you? She did spend a lot of time here at the lab."   
  
Ed stopped pacing to stare at his friend in surprise,"You actually think Kelly would betray us?!"   
  
Sloan shook her head,"No,I don't Ed, and I told Attwood as much."   
  
Ed nodded as he leaned his back against the doorframe,"Sloan, when Kelly was here she was so weak some days that she could barely walk to the window."   
  
"Attwood implied he had a security video of her."Sloan replied quietly.   
  
Ed glared at her,"I don't care what kind of proof the great Attwood thinks he has! Kelly would *never* betray us to *them*!"   
  
"She may not have been the same Kelly you knew,Ed."Sloan replied. She didn't miss the venom in her friend's voice when he talked about the new species. She   
couldn't help but wonder if the hate was directed at Tom or the new species in general.   
  
"I *knew* her,Sloan."Ed replied softly,"You did too.So why are you on Attwood's side all of the sudden?"   
  
Sloan shook her head,"I'm on your side,Ed,always will be. I'm just trying to play devil's advocate here."   
  
Ed nodded as he returned to his seat resting his chin on the open palm of his hand,"What we really need to figure out is how those disk really got out of here. Only   
certain people have access to this section of the lab."   
  
Sloan nodded as she tossed the pencil down on the desk,"That certainly shortens the list of suspects."   
  
Ed stood offering his right hand to Sloan,"Come on,let's get out of here."   
  
Sloan stood accepting his arm as she walked around the desk,"Where?"   
  
Ed shrugged, "Don't care as long as its away from this place. I don't know what it is about being here today,but its like the walls are closing in."   
  
Sloan nodded in understanding as she gently touched his arm,"Let's head over to the beach. If anybody deserves to ditch out a little early its us."   
  
*******   
  
The sun was just setting by the time Ed and Sloan returned to her apartment. Ed was reluctant to close the door behind him. It would mean this great afternoon   
would have to end. He finally did close the door tossing their wet towels into the bathroom. It had been so wonderful to see Sloan almost constantly smiling and   
laughing. It had been far too long since he had heard her laugh. Since he had seen her so relaxed without a care in the world. At least for a few hours.   
  
Sloan's startled scream sent Ed racing back into the living room. Sloan was standing by the edge of the kitchen counter,facing the living room. Her back to him.  
  
"Sloan?"Ed asked with concern as he came up behind her. Then he saw the reason. Tom Daniels was standing in the center of the living room.   
  
"Get out."Ed ordered forcing himself to keep his voice even. A fight would only upset Sloan and cause stress for the baby.  
  
Sloan snagged his elbow as he started to step past her,"No,Ed. Its alright. I'd like to talk to Tom alone for a few minutes."  
  
Ed's gaze never left Daniels as he asked,"Are you sure? I can have him out of here in two minutes."  
  
Tom grinned,"You think highly of yourself,Ed."  
  
Ed glared at the FBI agent but Sloan interrupted any retort he had planned to say.  
  
"I'll be fine,Ed."Sloan replied forcing her friend to meet her gaze,"There are some things Tom and I need to discuss."  
  
Ed sighed,his gut told him this was a bad idea,but he had to respect her wishes,"Alright,I'll pick you up tomorrow and we can head to work together?"  
  
Sloan nodded as she squeezed his hand,"I'll be fine,Ed. Thank you for this afternoon ,it was wonderful."  
  
Ed smiled briefly,"Yeah it was. We need to do that more often. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Sloan nodded,watching as her friend retrieved his small blue backpack from the kitchen counter and quietly left the apartment.  
  
********  
  
After Tate left Tom took a step toward Sloan but stopped. The pain in her eyes broke his heart. He cursed Lewis for putting it there. Tom sighed inwardly,no he   
couldn't place all of the blame on his former mentor. He had caused Sloan the most pain and now she hated him for it. Not that he blamed her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
All Sloan wanted to do was bury herself in his arms and never move. But for some reason her feet remained rooted to the floor. It had been so many weeks since   
she had last seen him. Part of her was afraid that if she moved or blinked he would be gone. Out of her life for good,this time.   
  
From somewhere she found the strength to speak,"Please have a seat."She said as she motioned to the sofa.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As she came into the living room Sloan flipped on the light by the sofa. It allowed Tom his first good look at her in weeks. The gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach   
returned. It was the same feeling he had while talking to Tate in his apartment. Something was wrong. From the shocked expression on her face earlier it was   
obvious Tate hadn't told her he was back in town. Which only led him to more questions. If she was sick why wouldn't Tate have told him? Unless his kind had   
been the cause.   
  
Sloan absently folded her hands together on her lap as she turned to face him,"First I want to apologize for Ed's behavior......"  
  
Tom shook his head,"No need. His priority has always been to protect you, he sees me as a threat."  
  
Sloan nodded as she reached out and took his right hand in hers,"He's just very protective of me sometimes. Especially the last week or so....."   
  
Tom blinked. She looked fine to him,maybe a little pale, a little tired but other wise alright. Beautiful as always. If Lewis or any other of his kind had done something   
to harm her Tom wouldn't be held accountable for his actions.  
  
*******  
  
Sloan mentally shook herself. Enough with the small talk. Tom deserved to know what was going on. Taking a deep breath Sloan met his gaze,"Tom,I have   
something to tell you and I'm not quite sure how you'll react to it."  
  
Fear gripped Tom's heart as he moved closer to her on the couch,"Are you sick?"He demanded.  
  
Before Sloan could reply a pair of headlights splashed across the window gaining Tom's immediate attention.   
  
Sloan caught his expression,"What is it?"  
  
A whisper touched the back of Tom's mind a familiar warning. But one that couldn't have had worse timing. "I'm sorry I have to go."Tom said softly as he tenderly   
caressed her right cheek."  
  
Sloan caught his hand in hers,"Lewis?"  
  
Tom shook his head,"No,but I am being watched. It was wrong of me to come here,but I had to see you."  
  
"I've missed you too."Sloan said softly.  
  
"I'm not sure if I can risk seeing you again,but I will be near by."Tom promised as he stood,"I'll always be near you,remember that."   
  
Tears started to form in Sloan's eyes blurring her vision. By the time she blinked them away Tom was gone. "I love you."She whispered as she sank back into the   
sofa drawing her knees to her chest.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Promptly at seven the next morning Ed Tate pulled up in front of Sloan's apartment building. With a bag of Sloan's favorite bagels in one hand Ed walked up the   
front steps. Knowing her as well as he did Ed figured she probably hadn't eaten a thing after Tom left.She needed to keep her strength up,no matter what was going   
on. The difference in the baby's DNA worried Ed. He wasn't sure what that would do to Sloan's health,if anything.   
  
Ed's heart froze in his throat as Sloan's door opened easily at his touch. The bag of bagels hit the ground as he rushed into the familiar room. However,nothing was   
familiar about the site that greeted him. From Ed's stunned point of view it looked like every single solitary object that Sloan had ever owned was strewn across the   
floor.   
  
His sneakered feet waded through ankle high piles of books and magazines as he made his way into the living room. "Sloan?"Ed called fear in his voice as he gingerly   
avoided glass from a broken light bulb. Only silence answered him. /Damn,he knew he should have stayed with her./   
  
Only will power kept his hands from shaking as he removed his cellular phone from his jacket pocket.  
  
"Peterson?"The former Los Angeles detective answered on the third ring.  
  
"Its Ed Tate."Ed replied softly as he surveyed the damage,"There's trouble at Sloan's."  
  
That got Peterson's full attention,"How bad?"  
  
"The place is trashed,Ray. I haven't found Sloan yet."  
  
"I'll be there in fifteen.Try not to touch anything."  
  
* * * * *  
  
After ending his conversation with Peterson, Ed called out for Sloan one more time. He knew it was a futile gesture on his part. Ed knew if she was here she would   
have answered him already if she was able too. Unbidden an image of Sloan's broken and bloodied body sprang into Ed's mind. Flinching the young doctor forced   
the horrible thought away and continued his search.   
  
Sloan's bedroom,bathroom and small kitchen yielded no clues to the bio-anthropologist's whereabouts. Disheartened Ed returned to the wrecked living room. This   
time moving toward the couch. Something on the floor near where the coffee table was supposed to be caught Ed's attention. Ignoring Ray's warning of not to touch   
anything Ed quickly cleared the debris away.   
  
His worst fears were confirmed when he spied a pool of blood by the sofa's left leg. "Oh God Sloan,where are you?"Ed whispered as he rocked back on his heels.  
  
********  
  
/Knew I should have listened to my mother and followed Dad into the construction business./Former Detective Ray Peterson thought grimly as he struggled to   
shove Sloan's door open.   
  
"Ed?"Ray called out as he finally opened the door wide enough so he could step through.  
  
"In the living room."Came Tate's tense reply.  
  
Ray tried to take a few steps forward and nearly broke an ankle on a volume of an encyclopedia. "Man,you weren't kidding when you said this place was   
trashed,"Ray commented as he gingerly walked into the living room,"How's Sloan?"  
  
"I don't know."Ed replied quietly.   
  
Even with his police training it took Ray a full minute to find the young doctor among the debris. Tate was sitting on the floor next to the sofa,arms folded across his   
knees. Fear for his friend's safety grew immensely as Ray saw the fear on Tate's face.  
  
"Ed? Where's Sloan?"Peterson asked softly as he knelt next to the younger man.  
  
The doctor shook his head,"I don't know,Ray. I was supposed to pick her up for work this morning and found the place like this."  
  
Ray rubbed a hand over his face as he glanced around the living room,"Okay,let's not panic here. Are you sure she was here last night? Could she have stayed   
somewhere else?"   
  
Ed shook his head,"Sloan and I cut out early from work yesterday and headed to the beach. When we got back here about six good ol' Tom was standing in the   
living room like he owned the place."  
  
Ray did a double take,"Daniels is back?"  
  
Tate nodded,"Sloan wanted to talk to him alone so I respected her wishes and left."  
  
Ray saw where this was headed,"Ed,this is not your fault."He said firmly.  
  
Ed glared at him,"I *never* should have left her alone,Ray. Especially with him."  
  
"From what I've seen Tom would never hurt her."Peterson replied softly.  
  
Ed shot to his feet angrily gesturing to the pool of blood near the sofa,"Daniels is *not* like us!! What will it take to get that through your heads! Sloan had   
something serious to tell him. Daniels didn't like it so he flipped out........."  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Sleeping on the job?"  
  
Tom Daniels jerked awake nearly smacking Lewis in the forehead in the process.  
  
"What are you doing here?"Tom demanded glancing around the run down hotel room.  
  
Lewis grinned as he leaned back in the chair folding his arms across his chest,"Just keeping an eye on my employee."  
  
Shaking sleep from his mind Tom slowly sat up in bed leaning against the wall. Absently he glanced at his watch,noting that it was barely seven thirty. "That's not an   
answer to my question."Tom replied quietly.  
  
Lewis leaned forward,"I don't really care if you like my answers or not, Tommy boy. You are in the city of angels to make sure Doctor Edward Tate has a slow and   
painful death,nothing more;nothing less. Is that perfectly clear?"  
  
Daniels winced inwardly.Damn he hadn't been as careful getting away from Sloan's apartment as he had thought last night. If one of his kind had laid a finger on   
her....... "Crystal."Tom replied briskly.  
  
"Good."Lewis replied with a smile as he stood,"Now that that's settled why don't we grab some breakfast?"  
  
Tom glared at his former mentor,"I'm not hungry."  
  
Lewis shrugged as he picked up his black leather jacket,"Suit yourself. I will be near by in case you change your mind."  
  
"I won't."Daniels replied as he swung his legs over the side of the mattress.  
  
Lewis merely began whistling an old irish folk song as he left the room.  
  
******  
  
"Have you called the police yet?"Walter Attwood asked from his office at Whitney University.  
  
Ray Peterson shook his head as he glanced at Tate,"No,not yet. I figured it would be best to alert you to the situation first."  
  
"And Ed has no idea where Sloan is?"  
  
"No,he came here about seven to pick her up for work and found the place trashed."  
  
Attwood slowly took his glasses off as he rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly,"Let the police know what's going on. Tell them its a missing person case that could   
possibly be a homicide.Nothing more."  
  
"Right."Ray replied as he ended the conversation.  
  
Peterson hit a familiar number to one of the few friends he still had left in the department. With a few terse sentences Ray explained what had occurred at Sloan's   
and hung up before his contact could ask too many questions.  
  
Ray turned his attention to Ed who was leaning his back against the small kitchen counter,head down. "The cops are on their way."Peterson reported softly as he   
pocketed the phone.  
  
Ed barely nodded,"You think she's dead,don't you?"He asked in a whisper.  
  
Ray shook his head sadly,"I'm not sure,Ed.I don't want to belive that,but this looks bad,real bad."  
  
Tate raised his head and Ray could see the cold anger resting just beneath the surface,"If we've lost Sloan,Daniels is a dead man."  
  
Peterson turned to face him,"What makes you so sure that Tom is behind this? He's no Randall Lynch,Ed......"  
  
Tate finally met his friend's gaze,"Sloan had something to tell him."  
  
Ray nodded,"You mentioned that earlier.What exactly did she have to tell him? Do you know what it was?"  
  
Ed looked at the pile of debris that had once been his friend's living room. A mound of brown fur caught his attention and Ed saw that it was connected to a small   
teddy bear lying near one of the over turned bookcases. "Sloan is pregnant."  
  
  
* * *  
  
Lewis had sufficiently killed any notion of Tom falling back to sleep. With a sigh Tom rose and showered and changed. Might as well go under the pretenses of   
tracking Ed down.  
  
Maybe if he staked out Tate's apartment for a few days Lewis would get off his back and allow him some breathing room. And perhaps a chance to see Sloan   
again.  
  
That thought brought a smile to Tom's face as he grabbed his car keys and left the small room.  
  
*******  
  
"Is it Daniels?"Ray Peterson asked softly as his gaze roamed over the debris that had once been Sloan's living room.  
  
Ed nodded,"Yes."  
  
Before Ray could ask any more questions the police arrived. They quickly secured the area with yellow crime scene tape and ushered Ed and Ray out of the   
apartment.  
  
  
* * *  
  
Sloan Parker slowly awoke. As she opened her eyes she thought for a minute that she was staring directly into a rainbow. Colors of all kinds danced before   
her,partnered with the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her.  
  
Sloan closed her eyes,taking several deep breaths to steady herself. After a few minutes she opened her eyes again and discovered she was in a small dark hotel   
room.  
  
Her head throbbed like a private Metalica concert. As Sloan raised her right hand to her forehead she realized her hands were bond behind her with a coarse rope.  
  
The confinement of her hands brought the memories crashing back.  
Lewis  
Being forced on the run.  
Tom.  
The baby.  
  
With a start Sloan's gaze flew to her stomach. Forcing the panic back Sloan reached out with her mind. She hoped that if the baby had a little bit of its father's genes   
she would be able to tell if it was alright. Relief washed over her as she leaned her head against the back of the chair.  
  
The baby was fine.  
  
Now all she had to do was get out of where ever she was and tell Tom. Sloan wasn't fooling herself she knew the odds were against her. She could only pray that   
fate wouldn't be so cruel that it would take her and the baby away from Tom before she even had a chance to tell him he was a father.  
  
* * *  
  
Detective Katherine Krieg was the lead investigator to arrive at Sloan Parker's apartment. She was a tall thin woman with short cut red hair. Ray had always pegged   
her to be somewhere in her late thirties but being a typical woman Krieg would never confirm or deny his guess.  
  
Katherine stepped aside allowing the forensics team into the room as she ushered Ray to the opposite side of the hallway.  
  
"What am I looking at here,Ray?"Krieg asked in a lowered voice,"You weren't exactly forth coming on the phone."  
  
Ray glanced back at Tate who was pacing the corridor like a caged tiger,"This apartment belongs to a good friend of mine,Sloan Parker."  
  
Krieg's eyes widened in reorganization,"The anthropologist who discovered this new species?"  
  
Ray nodded,"Yes,Dr. Ed Tate over there is her best friend. He was supposed to pick her up for work at seven this morning and found the place like this. There's   
blood by the sofa that we think is hers."  
  
Katherine glanced back into the apartment at the destruction,"Whatever caused this has the strength of a small tornado. You want me to treat this as a simple   
robbery attempt?"  
  
Ray shook his head sadly,"Treat it as a robbery leading to a possible homicide."  
  
Krieg's eyes widened slightly but she didn't question him. Instead she took out a small pad of paper and gestured to Ed,"I'm going to need to interview Dr. Tate   
before I can let either of you leave."  
  
Peterson nodded,"Just make it fast,Katie. He's had a hell of a week and its not getting any better."  
  
********  
  
Twenty five minutes later the *short* interview that Ray's police contact had promised him was still going and showed no signs of slowing down.  
  
"Where you in love with Sloan Parker,Dr.Tate?"Det. Krieg asked not looking up from her notebook.  
  
Ed placed his right hand against his forehead as he closed his eyes. His thoughts had scattered during the barrage of questions. He had to bring himself back under   
control if he was going to be any help to Sloan at all.  
  
"Why aren't you out there looking for her?!"Ed demanded ignoring the question.  
  
That finally got the woman's attention away from her notes,"I believe I'm the one asking the questions,Dr. Tate. Do I need to repeat my question?"  
  
Ed glared at the detective,"No,you don't have to repeat it because I refuse to answer such a ridiculous question! My friend is out there somewhere, hurt! If you   
people aren't going to look for her I'll have to do it myself!"  
  
Before Ray or Katherine Krieg could reply Ed Tate spun on his heel and stormed out of the apartment building.  
  
* * *  
  
Ed had made it half a block before he stopped remembering he had drove. His sneakers slipping on the rain soaked sidewalk Ed made a sharp turn heading back to   
Sloan's. The light rain that had been falling when he had stormed out of Sloan's apartment building was now a full fledged downpour.  
  
Peterson caught up with him,offering the rain soaked doctor an umbrella,"Ed......."  
  
Tate glared at his friend,"Don't try to talk me out of this,Ray! I don't know how much of my family life Sloan's told you about,but it isn't pretty. Sloan is all I have   
and I'll be damned if I loose her like this."  
  
Ray smiled grimly as he held up Ed's set of car keys,"I was just going to offer to drive."  
  
Ed clasped the older man on the shoulder as they scurried to his car.  
  
"Where to?"Peterson asked as he started the engine,throwing the car into drive.  
  
Ed's gaze was fixed on the rotating red and blue police lights as they danced across Sloan's apartment building.   
  
"Its a long shot but I want to get a copy of Daniels's credit card bills."Ed replied softly,"If he's dumb enough to show up at Sloan's he might have left a paper trail."  
  
* * *  
  
"This is getting us absolutely *nowhere*!"Ed shouted in pure frustration three hours later as he tossed the Xeroxed copies of Daniels' credit card bills on the   
dashboard in front of him.  
  
Ray nodded in agreement as he looked out the rain spotted window to the shoe store across the street. The shoe store was the second to the last purchase listed and   
they still hadn't found any sign of Tom.  
  
"We're not even sure if Tom made the purchases,"Peterson replied softly,"On top of that we're not even sure this is even related to the new species. It could be just   
what it looked like,Sloan walked in on a robbery and the assailant panicked and took her."  
  
Ed shook his head,"If that's all it was we would have received a ransom by now."  
  
"Ed you wouldn't believe how many kidnapping cases I've investigated that the victim's families never received a ransom demand."  
  
*******  
  
Tom Daniels shook himself awake.  
  
Stakeouts had been one part of being an agent that he absolutely hated. The Los Angeles heat dulled his senses as he sat in the hot car. The one rock music station   
he had found kept breaking in with traffic reports so often they barely completed one song.  
  
Tom glanced at the clock radio,it was barely ten in the morning. He knew it was probably just the boring routine of the stakeout,but Tom couldn't shake the feeling   
that something was wrong.  
  
He wanted to reach out through the telepathic link to Sloan. Make sure she was all right,but he knew he couldn't risk it. Lewis would know in a heartbeat. His   
former mentor had endangered her life once before. Tom swore that would never happen again. So that drew Tom to the inevitable bottom line. No matter how   
much he wanted to,he couldn't contact Sloan. All Tom could do was pray that Tate was as good at protecting her as he claimed to be.  
  
* * *  
  
Ed Tate jumped involuntarily as his cellular phone rang. With an exasperated sigh Ed yanked the small device out of his pocket.  
  
"Tate."He answered gruffly.  
  
"Ed? Its Walter,"Attwood began softly,"I know you're worried about Sloan but I need you back at the lab."  
  
Ed shook his head angrily ,"Forget it!"  
  
"You're the one who compiled the pillar data onto the disks,"Attwood replied,"I need you to remember as much as you can so we can reconstruct it."  
  
Ed leaned forward,"Where you not listening to me?! I just told you to forget it! Forget the whole damn thing,Walter! There's a time clock on Sloan's life and I will   
not spend one precious second of that cooped up in front of a computer screen!"  
  
Atwood stifled a sigh,this was turning into a very long week,"If you value her life as much as you say you do,you'll report back to the lab. I'm as worried about   
Sloan as you are,but this is much more than one life,Ed. Much more."  
  
"What was all that about?"Ray asked as Ed collapsed the phone.  
  
Tate took a last futile glance at the shoe store,"I've been recalled."  
  
*******  
  
Ed parked his car in his usual spot in the lab parking lot. When he glanced to his right he half expected Sloan's car to be parked next to him as always.  
  
Ed had dropped Ray back at Sloan's to pick up his car. Before he left Ray had promised to keep Sloan's secret if he ran into Daniels. They both knew that wasn't   
likely but Ed wanted to cover all the bases just to make sure. He owed Sloan that much.  
  
Tate rested his head against the steering wheel. Part of him didn't want to believe that Tom could hurt Sloan in that way. For her sake. Sloan had always been too   
trusting of a person. Once she let a person into her life as a friend she trusted them with her whole heart.  
  
With a weary sigh Ed ran a hand through his short brown hair before exiting the vechicle. Better go see what the great Attwood thought was so earth shattering   
important. Ed didn't buy the damn pillar disks thing for a minute.  
  
* * *  
  
Detective Katherine Krieg returned to the squad room and began the torturous task of sifting through paperwork. If she had a nickel for every paper cut she   
received from this job she could retire to Arizona or Hawaii with no financial worries.  
  
Krieg sighed as she took out a new manila folder and labeled the tab as; Parker,Sloan. Inside she placed her preliminary notes on the crime scene and the results of   
her interview with Ed Tate. For someone who claimed not to be in love with the victim, that man had shown all the classic signs of a broken heart.  
  
She glanced up at the knock on her office door,"Yes?"  
  
A blond, green eyed man in his early thirties handed her a computer printout,"Thought you'd like to see this as soon as it came in."Detective Peter Hurst replied.   
  
"What is it?"Krieg asked as she glanced at the paper.   
  
"Preliminary fingerprint report from Parker's apartment."Hurst replied as he leaned against the doorframe.   
  
Krieg blinked in surprise,"Already?"   
  
Hurst nodded,"This case is high profile, at least in certain circles. There were hundreds of prints in her apartment, but they were from only four people. Tate, Parker,Peterson and......"   
  
"FBI Agent Tom Daniels."Katherine finished as she looked back through her notes,"Neither Tate or Peterson mentioned Daniels."  
  
Hurst folded his arms across his chest,"Which leads us to the million dollar question: If he was such a part of her life as to have prints all over her apartment why didn't Peterson or Tate mention him?"   
  
Krieg nodded,"Maybe they don't know. He could be married and she's the mistress."   
  
Hurst shook his head,"From the pics I've seen of Parker she doesn't strike me as the type."   
  
Kathrine smiled at her friend,"And who exactly is *the type*,Peter?"She shook her head,"Either way this Daniels is a big part of this case. See if you can track him down. He probably doesn't know that his lady love's in trouble."   
  
Hurst nodded as he started to walk out of the office,"Will do."   
  
*******  
  
Sloan Parker nearly passed out as harsh Florissant light flooded the room. Blinking spots away from her eyes Sloan struggled to focus.  
  
"Well,well, the great Sloan Parker has awaken."  
  
Sloan froze,the voice was familiar but she couldn't quite place it. If only her eyes would focus Once they did Sloan thought for sure they were playing tricks on her.   
The person standing before her couldn't possibly be the one who had kidnapped her.  
  
"Timmy? Is that you?"Sloan asked in a hoarse voice as she struggled to get mostiure to her throat.  
  
A man about Sloan's age with short red hair and bright blue eyes walked farther into the room a smile on his face,"You were the only one I allowed to call me that."  
  
Reality slowly dawned through college memories as Sloan straightened in her chair.  
  
"You're one of them."She stated in a whisper.  
  
* * *  
  
As he stretched the kinks out of his back Tom glanced at the clock. It was eleven o'clock and no sign of Tate. Not that he was expecting any, Ed and Sloan were at   
the lab. Tom reached for the ignition deciding he needed some caffeine if he was going to sit there all day in this heat.  
  
A long shadow splashing across his hand got his attention. Tom glanced out the window and saw a car boxing him in. A limo to be precise. Straightening in his seat   
Tom waited. His right hand reaching for his gun in the seat next to him.  
  
The tinted window of the limo rolled down just enough to reveal a familiar face. A woman in her mid thirties with short red hair. Attwood's boss.  
  
"What do you want?"Tom hissed through clenched teeth.  
  
The woman glared at him as she lowered the window the rest of the way down,"Look,I don't care what kind of mind games you and Lewis are playing. If you want   
to play both sides against one another that's your business. But don't you dare even think about endangering everything I've worked for!"  
  
Tom stared at her in surprise,"*What* are you babbling about?"   
  
"Its come to my attention that you've become a focus of an LAPD investigation,"The woman continued,"The homicide of Doctor Sloan Parker."   
  
Before Tom's shocked mind could even think of a reply the woman's window quickly retracted and the limo sped down the street.  
  
*******  
  
It took all of Ed Tate's will power to knock on Attwood's door instead of slamming it in.  
  
Attwood glanced through the window and waved him in before returning his attention to whatever was on his computer monitor.   
  
"So what's so important that you had to drag me back here?"Ed demanded as he closed the door behind him.  
  
Attwood smiled briefly,"Would the fate of mankind be big enough on your priority level?"  
  
Tate bristled at his boss's comment,"I thought Sloan and I meant more to you then the monkeys we run tests on?! Or is that just another one of your smoke and mirror routines?!"  
  
Attwood glared at the younger man,"I've bent over backwards to bail the two of you out of trouble more times than I can count! I know you're worried about   
Sloan,so am I, whether you want to believe that or not. But the best thing we can do for her right now is reconstruct the data on the pillar. We need to know what   
they're planning."  
  
* * *  
  
Tom parked about two blocks from the university's lab struggling to keep his emotions in check. If Lewis even had the slightest hint that he wasn't following orders,   
Tate would be dead in an instant. If what Attwood's boss said was true, he owed Sloan to keep Tate safe. Even if it meant sacrificing his own life.  
  
After taking a few minutes to study the guard's rotation, Tom easily bypassed the lab's security and walked into Tate's office.  
Now all he could do was wait.  
Wait and hope that the first person he had ever loved hadn't been taken from him before he had a chance to tell her.  
  
******  
  
"Thank you."Sloan Parker replied as the cool water slid down her parched throat. Water spilled down her chin and the front of her shirt as Timmy roughly snagged   
the bottle away.  
  
"That's more than enough."  
  
"Can you please untie my hands?"Sloan asked,"My circulation's getting cut off."  
  
The blond man shifted from one foot to the other as he avoided her gaze,"I was ordered not too."  
  
"Timmy,this is me,"Sloan pleaded quietly,"How many pizzas did we share as we crammed for finals at midnight? How many times did we sneak ice cream out of the   
mess hall? You know I won't go anywhere."  
  
After a long moment Timmy moved behind her and expertly slit the coarse ropes with a small knife,"There. You always get what you want,don't you?"  
  
Sloan studied her friend,"Timmy,where is this resentment coming from? You always were equal or scored higher than I did."  
  
The young man shook his head wearily,"Its a whole different game now, Sloan. Somehow my bosses found out I was a member of the new species and fired me."A   
bitter laugh escaped him,"Guess they thought I was a threat to their little company."  
  
Sloan rubbed her wrists in an effort to get circulation back,"Why are you doing this,Tim?"  
  
"I'm just a solider following orders,Sloan,"Tim said quietly,"That's why our species is going to eliminate yours. Your kind can't follow orders."  
  
* * *  
  
Ed Tate stormed into his office slamming a manila file folder onto his desk. He had half a mind to just walk out and continue the search for Sloan.  
  
Grudgingly he admitted that Attwood did have a valid point. If they found out what the new species was planning they'd have something to bargain with.  
  
It was then Ed noticed his chair was facing the window behind his desk. Like in all those really bad spy movies where the bad guy spins the chair around smoking a   
cigar.  
  
Ed decided to bluff,"If you don't leave quietly I will shoot you."  
  
The chair slowly spun around,"Kind of hard to do with a pencil. Unless that's a top secret spy gun?"  
  
Tate literally saw red.  
  
Without thinking Ed picked up a heavy marble paperweight and threw it at the person in the chair.  
  
Unfortunately the paperweight missed its target and bounced off of Tom's left shoulder. "What was that for?"Tom asked in bewilderment as he gingerly examined his   
shoulder.  
  
Ed clamped his hands on the edge of the desk,"You got a hell of a lot of nerve coming here. Though I will be more than happy to grant your death wish."  
  
Tom looked at him blankly,"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
Ed glared at the FBI agent,"Fine,you want me to spell it out for you I will. You killed my best friend,now I will kill you."  
  
*******  
  
Tom felt the color drain from his face,"So it is true?"He asked hoarsely,"Sloan's dead?"  
  
Ed stood,"You can drop the good guy act,Daniels. You may have fooled Sloan but I see things real clearly now."  
  
Tom glared at him,"You're also babbling. I swear to you Sloan was alive when I left her."  
  
Ed took a step back from the desk folding his arms across his chest,"Give me one good reason why I should believe you?"  
  
Tom leaned his hands on the desk surface,"Beause you know I would never hurt her."  
  
Ed shook his head as he walked over to the left wall of his office,"I don't know anything any more. All I know is that you were the last person I saw with Sloan.   
Next morning there's a large pool of blood on her living room carpet."  
  
Tom swallowed hard,"How was she killed?"He asked softly.  
  
Ed leaned back against the wall,"We don't know. Her bod-,"Tate broke off the sentence as he felt his voice start to tremble,"The cops haven't found her body yet."  
  
A small flame of hope raced up Tom's spine and into his heart as he met Tate's gaze,"So there's no confirmation on her death yet?"  
  
Ed glared at him,"You think I want to believe that she's gone?! You're an FBI agent,Daniels,look at the facts! Her apartment looked like a small tornado had gone through it,blood was pooling near the sofa and no ransom has been delivered yet!"  
  
When Tom didn't answer right away Tate yanked the phone off the desk picking up the receiver.  
  
Tom glanced up,"Who are you calling?"  
  
Ed didn't stop dialing,"Peterson,so he can have the cops take you into custody."  
  
"That's not a good idea."Tom replied softly as he yanked the phone line out of the wall.   
  
******  
  
With the phone line dangling in one hand Tom felt a warning at the back of his mind. A fuzzy image of orange and red flashed through his mind's eye.  
There was no time to shout a warning.  
In one move Tom dropped the phone cord and lunged over the desk tackling Tate.  
The next instant something crashed through the window and bounced off of Ed's desk.  
Then the world exploded.  
  
* * *  
  
Sloan blinked against the harsh fluorescent light as the door to her small room reopened.  
She was surprised to see it wasn't Timmy. She quickly placed her hands back behind the chair,hoping the newcomer wouldn't inspect too closely. The man who   
approached her was about Attwood's age with receding black hair. He had darker skin but Sloan couldn't tell if it was Hawaiian decent or Hispanic.  
  
"Where's Timmy?"Sloan asked hoarsely.  
  
The man blinked in surprise as if he hadn't expected her to be concious,"Timothy had an errand to run."  
  
"How long have I been here?"Sloan asked quietly.  
  
"The prey is not to ask questions."  
  
Out of the corner of her eye Sloan spotted a heavy wooden bird statute sitting on a small table just out of her reach. If she could just keep him distracted long   
enough she might be able to knock him out.  
  
"We are not prey,"Sloan said icily as the man moved to retrieve something from the closet,"We will fight for our survival."  
  
"And you will loose."The man replied sending a chill of Deja Vu down Sloan's spine. She had heard Tom say that very phrase so many months before.  
  
In a flash Sloan was on her feet snatching the wooden bird statute from its perch.  
  
The man didn't even glance up at her footsteps as she brought the hunk of wood crashing down on his skull.  
  
"We *will* fight."Sloan vowed as the man crumbled to the floor unconscious.  
  
With one quick glance out into the hallway Sloan disappeared.  
  
********  
  
Keys jangling was the first thing Ed Tate heard as he started to return to consciousness. With a groan Ed slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"Ed? Its Walter,can you hear me?"Attwood asked softly as he knelt next to the small sofa in his office,"Just lie still the ambulance is on its way."  
  
Ed shook his head as he struggled into a sitting position ,"No,no hospital. I'm fine."  
  
A hand gripped his shoulder forcing him back down,"You have a hard head,Tate,but not that hard."Tom replied with a grim smile,"If the glass in the lab doors hadn't been reinforced we both would have gone through it."  
  
As his mind recognized Daniels's voice memories came flooding back. Kelly.  
Sloan's pregnancy.  
Her ransacked apartment.  
The blood on the floor.  
  
Ed leapt to his feet his hands gripped around Tom's throat as he forced the FBI agent against the far wall.  
  
Stifling a sigh Walter Attwood grabbed Tate's right shoulder and non-too-gently yanked him back several feet,"Ed this......"  
  
Tate ignored him shaking off the wave of dizziness that had crept up. The young doctor took several steps toward Daniels,eyes blazing.  
  
Attwood stepped between the two men once again. "Have you forgotten that he just saved your life,Tate?"  
  
"He killed Sloan."Ed said coldly.  
  
"Do you have proof?"Walter asked,"For that matter do you have proof of Sloan's death?"  
  
"No he doesn't,"Tom finished quietly,"Sloan was alive when I left her."  
  
********  
  
She wasn't in a hotel.  
Sloan had realized that after the first three corridors she had sprinted through. She turned right into the fourth and too late realized it dead ended into a starch white   
wall. Damn,if only she had some light she might have a chance.   
  
She pressed against the cold surface struggling to get her bearings. She had to find out which way was the right way.  
Quickly.  
She had to decide quickly. Sloan didn't have to be 1.6 to sense that her window of escape was rapidly closing. With a deep breath Sloan pushed back the wave of   
panic. Moving along the right wall her hands grasped a familiar object.  
A door knob.  
Sending off a silent prayer Sloan twisted the knob. She heard tumblers click into place,the door swung inward.   
  
Sloan quickly stepped through barely resisting the urge to slam the door behind her. She took several steps forward,no time to relax now. Had to get out. Had to   
find Tom. Only when her right foot came solidly down on a cloud of air did Sloan realize what room she had ducked into.   
  
A stairwell.  
She was on an upper floor,but how far up? The stairwell was as dark as a cave so she couldn't tell how many flights were above her. Or how many to freedom.   
Straightening her shoulders Sloan fumbled for the handrail,only one way to find out.  
  
* * *  
  
Walter Attwood watched with concern as Ed slowly sank down onto the small couch. "What do the police think about Sloan's....."Attwood paused fumbling for the right word,"Situation."  
  
Ed wearily raised his head wishing that instead of playing with DNA strands he could invent a time machine. A time machine that would allow him to send them all back to last year.  
A year where everything had been normal.  
When human beings thought they were the only human race on earth.   
  
"Its been almost seventy two hours,Walter,"Ed replied softly,"We haven't received a ransom demand,even Ray's running out of leads."  
  
Tom pushed himself away from the wall feeling rage building. He knew for Sloan's sake he had to control the anger,"So that's your answer,Tate?! You're just giving up?!"  
  
Ed rose unsteadily to his feet eyes blazing,"Its all just black and white to you people isn't it?!"  
  
"I thought Sloan ment more to you then that."Tom replied.   
  
Two paramedics took that moment to enter the office. Both in their late twenties,one male,one female. One red head,one blonde.  
  
The blonde woman took a tentative step into the room,"We were told there were injured parties?"  
  
Grateful for the distraction Walter waved them in gesturing to the still fuming Ed Tate,"Yes Doctor Tate here was injured in the explosion. He just recently regained consciousness."  
  
The woman nodded as she ushered Ed back over to the sofa,"Sit down, Doctor Tate,let us have a look."  
  
*******  
  
Sloan Parker had made it down three,maybe four flights of stairs before light flooded the stairwell. Momentarily blinded Sloan nearly tumbled down a flight of stairs   
before strong arms grabbed her from behind. Swinging widely Sloan fought her captors as they drug her backwards. But with her eyes still not quite adjusted to the   
light she was like a bat forced out into a bright summer's day.  
  
"That was a very stupid move,Doctor."The man to her left whispered into her ear as they moved her out of the hallway and into an elevator,"I thought you were one of their brightest."   
  
Sloan continued to struggle as the elevator started its accent ,"Do you think I wouldn't have tried to take my life back?"   
  
The man merely shrugged as the other tightened his hold on Sloan's neck,"You are prey,we will dominate. That is the only certainty."   
  
  
* * *  
  
After the paramedics left Ed stood and began to walk out of Atwood's office. His first priority was finding a king size bottle of aspirin. The next and far more important was to continue the search for his best friend.   
  
The bombing of his office only intensified his fear. If they were getting fiercer in their attempts to take out the human race what would they do with one human?   
  
God forbid they would find out about the baby Sloan was carrying.   
  
Ed jumped involuntarily as Tom's hand clamped down on his right shoulder.   
  
"Where are you going?"Tom demanded. Ed glared at him,"To find Sloan."   
  
Tom shook his head,"Not alone you're not."   
  
Tate wearily ran a hand through his hair,"Look,I'm grateful for what you did,but what happened only made me more aware of the kind of danger Sloan's in. That   
bomb was a warning,the clock on Sloan's life is rapidly running out and I'm not just going to stand by an watch it happen."   
  
"Don't you think I'd be out there scouring every building in the greater Los Angeles area if I thought it'd bring her home? She's on their turf so we have to play on their terms. We will get her back,I promise you that, but we have to work together."   
  
Ed extended his right hand a grim smile on his face,"For Sloan."   
  
Tom shook his hand,"For Sloan."He repeated softly. 


	2. Love Comes Once chapter two

The man Sloan knew as Timmy moved through the shadows of the highrise office   
building where they were holding Sloan.  
  
He had seen the others drag her back to the room. He had seen his boss inject her   
with a pink colored liquid that Timmy could only guess at the damages it could cause.   
  
It was then he realized that he owed her. He couldn't help her from the inside,it was   
too much a risk for both of them. But if somehow he could get out of the building   
undetected he could get help from the outside.   
Help from Sloan's friends.  
Help from one of his kind.  
The only one who had made it out.  
  
  
* * *  
The first stop for the newly aligned team of Ed and Tom was Sloan's apartment.  
Or what was left of it.   
  
The police had long since dusted everything for prints but hadn't bothered to clean   
anything up.  
Not that it was their job to do so.  
Ed and Tom ducked under the yellow crime scene tape and entered the famliar   
room.   
  
Ray immeaditely noticed the large bandage across Ed's forehead,"What happened to   
you?"   
  
Tate smiled grimly,"Someone didn't like the way my office was decorated."   
  
Ray tapped the piece of computer printout in his hand,"Wish I had better news for   
you on this front but the police finally got the dna results back on the blood that was   
found on the floor."   
  
Tate couldn't help but glance at the dark stain next to Sloan's sofa,"And?"His voice   
came out as a strained whisper.   
  
Ray met Tom's gaze,"Its Sloan's."he said softly.   
  
"Damn."Ed whispered as he sank down onto one of the stools near Sloan's kitchen   
counter. He had been hoping against hope that it had been Sloan's attacker that had   
been hurt.   
  
Both hands clenching into fists was the only outward reaction Tom gave.  
Inside he was reeling.  
It was his fault she was hurt.  
It was his fault she was in their hands.  
Was this his penance for helping the humans?  
Was it his destiny not to have a family of his own? To never have someone to love   
who loved him back?  
Tom shook himself as he stalked over to one of Sloan's toppled bookcases. Spying a   
stuffed animal laying on top of the debris he gently picked up the teddy bear.  
Untill he had met Sloan he had never considered the possiblty of having a family.  
Now it seemed an impossible dream was within his grasp. He would not let that slip   
away.  
He would not let Sloan slip away.   
  
Ed sprang off of the stool,"There has to be something here that we missed."   
  
Tom placed the bear on the sofa,"They wouldn't have left any clues,but there might be   
one way I could find out where she is."   
  
Ed nearly tripped over an overturned lamp in his hast to face the FBI agent,"You   
have a source and didn't tell us?!"   
  
Tom shook his head,"The source is me."   
  
Ray cocked his head to the right as he walked over to them,"You just lost me.   
Tom,how can you be your own source?"   
  
"Telepathicly."Ed replied remembering the data they had collected on Lynch,"They   
sometimes have a telepathic link."   
  
Tom shook his head,"Not sometimes,always. It just depends on the situation on how   
strong the link is. Sometimes when Sloan was nearby I could feel her,could sense her   
emotions."   
  
"Have you ever tried this 'link' over such a distance?"Ray asked.   
  
"No,but it is theoriticly possible but there is a risk."Tom replied,"If Lewis were to find   
out I was 'reaching out' to Sloan that bomb in your office this morning would look like   
a walk on the beach."   
  
"I'll take the risk."Ed stated firmly.   
  
"Me too."Ray added quietly.   
  
Tom nodded,"Alright,lets get started."   
  
********  
  
"I thought the plan was to keep her alive."A tall thin red haired man in   
his thirties hissed.   
  
The dark haired man in his early forties shrugged as the pair stood   
against the far wall of the small room,"Prey dies we survive that's what   
our existence is based on."He stepped closer to the hospital bed where   
Sloan lay,"Don't worry she's still alive."   
  
The other man motioned to the iv bag filled with a pink liquid,"She   
won't last very long with that poison running through her veins! I   
really hope you have a plan here Michael because I for one do not want   
to be the one to tell them that she's dead."   
Michael smirked his gaze never leaving his prisoner,"You worry too much.   
You forget she's only a means to an end. They want Daniels dead, what   
happens before that is irrelevant."   
  
* * *  
  
  
Lewis tossed the empty cup of bad coffee onto the passenger seat of the   
rental car.   
A frown crossed his face as he sat outside of Sloan Parker's apartment   
building.   
No good would come of this situation.   
Not that Lewis cared about good things.   
But there were a few things in his life that did hold some meaning to   
him.   
What that meaning was he wasn't quite sure.   
But that point was mute now.   
  
Tom had disobeyed him.   
Again.   
Tom had betrayed their kind.   
Again.   
The elders would not let this go unpunished.   
  
* * *  
  
  
Warm......   
Safe.....   
Floating......   
Pain.....   
Don't want to wake up.......   
Sleep......   
Yes sleep is good........   
Safe......   
No pain.......   
  
* * *  
  
Detective Peter Hurst doublechecked his gun as he climbed the steps to   
Sloan Parker's apartment.   
After several hours of futile searching he had finally tracked down Tom   
Daniels.   
  
Rounding the corner Peter checked his jacket pocket to make sure the   
arrest warrant was still there.   
With the DNA results back and the overwhelming circumstantial evidence   
Krieg had decided they had enough to make a case against the FBI agent.   
  
Satisfied that everything was going as planned Hurst came to a stop in   
front of Sloan's apartment and raised his hand to knock.   
  
* * *   
  
Ed Tate perched himself on the left arm of the sofa. Tom sat in a chair   
next to Sloan's fireplace while Ray leaned against the kitchen counter.   
Ed was concerned that through this telepathic link Tom might find out   
about the baby. That finding out about the baby might throw him for a   
complete loop.   
The last thing that Sloan needed right now was Daniels turning tail and   
running.   
All Ed could do was pray that Sloan's faith in Tom wasn't a one way   
street.   
  
Tom closed his eyes and blocked everything out.   
The noise from the street below.   
The emotions radiating from Ed and Ray.   
He concentrated on Sloan's scent that still hung through out her home.   
  
Tom reached out with his mind. For once in his life completely giving   
into his feelings.   
/Sloan....../   
When his mind touched hers pain slapped back with such force that it   
nearly knocked the wind out of him.   
Without opening his eyes he held up a hand palm forward to signal to   
Tate that everything was fine.   
Ed exchanged a concerned glance with Ray but reluctantly sat back down.   
  
Tom took a deep breath clearing his mind and made another attempt to   
break through the wall of pain.   
He sifted through her emotions like a seeve.   
Fear.   
Pain.   
Anxiety.   
Worry.   
  
Tom started as he realized what was the main focus of Sloan's fear.   
Not for herself......   
Fear for the........   
For the child she was carrying.......   
His child.......   
  
Counting to ten Tom broke the link with Sloan hoping she had sensed his   
reassurance.   
  
"Well?"Ed prompted impatiently as soon as Tom opened his eyes.   
  
"They're alive."Daniels replied quietly as he stood and walked over to   
the fireplace.   
  
Tate watched him with concern. Watching for any signs that he might go   
into Lynch mode.   
  
"Was she conscience?" Ed asked softly.   
  
Tom shook his head,"No."   
  
Ed stood moving a few feet from the sofa,"She wanted to tell you. But   
she had no idea of how to find you."   
  
Tom didn't turn around,"It was better for them that I didn't know."   
  
Tate's hands clasped into fists as he advanced on the FBI agent,"*Better   
for them*?! *How*?! She's still missing, going through God knows what   
kind of torture."   
  
Daniels turned to meet Ed's gaze but remained silent.   
Which only infuriated Tate.   
  
"Do you have any feelings for her at all?!"Ed shouted not caring any   
more if somebody heard,"Never mind the situation she's in now did you   
even think about the health risks?!"   
  
Peterson made an attempt to step between the two,"Ed....."   
  
Tate ignored him,"When she first told me I ran every test I could think   
of,ninety percent came back inconclusive."   
  
A shadow of pain crossed Tom's face,"I never intended to hurt her. I   
told her to stay away....."   
  
Ed raised a fist,"Do you actually have the nerve to say this is her   
fault?!"   
  
All three men jumped as a sharp knock richochetted through the   
apartment.   
  
"Police! Open the door!"   
  
*******  
  
Timmy knew that if he was going to help Sloan he had to leave the   
building now.   
The question was how.   
As he passed a supply closet a plan started to form.   
It wasn't a very good plan but right now it was the only one he had.   
Timmy glanced up and down the hallway before doubling back to the supply   
closet.   
  
* * *   
  
As the pounding continued the three men glanced at each other.   
  
Tate spoke first jesturing toward the window,"Get out of here Tom we'll   
hold him off."   
  
Ray did a double take,"What do you mean by hold him off?"   
  
Ed glared at his friend,"As soon as I have a plan you'll be the first to   
know."   
  
Tom shook his head,"I won't run. Not any more."   
  
Ed picked up one of the few lamps that were still intact and motioned to   
Peterson to find a weapon,"There's no time to debate this Tom. If you   
ever cared about Sloan, leave. You won't be able to help her if you're   
in a jail cell. And as much as it pains me to say this you are the only   
one who can help."   
  
Tom hesitated for a moment glancing from the window to the front door   
and back again.   
  
"Agent Daniels I know you are in there."Peter Hurst yelled as he stepped   
back from the door preparing to kick it in,"I have a warrent for your   
arrest regarding the disappearence of Sloan Parker. If you do not comply   
I will use deadly force!"   
  
Ed took postion behind the kitchen counter as Ray ducked behind the   
bookcase clutching the firepoker.   
  
"Go."Ed whispered again wondering how his life had got to this point.   
Tom nodded before opening the window and vanishing down the fire escape.   
  
A few seconds later the door flew open propelling Detective Peter Hurst   
forward into the room gun drawn.   
Peter circled the apartment before noticing the open window.   
  
"Damn."The blond man swore softly as he rehosltered his gun./Krieg's   
going to kill me for this./   
  
Clutching the lamp, Ed slowly moved from his hiding place motioning for   
Ray to stay where he was.   
/Sloan,you owe me big time for this./Ed thought wrily as he crashed the   
lamp against the detective's head.   
The man teetered for a moment before falling to the ground unconcious.   
  
********  
  
Timmy still couldn't believe his luck as the laundry truck he had snuck   
into bounced along the streets of greater Los Angeles.   
The young man risked a glance out the front window and saw the truck was   
less than two blocks from where Daniels was staying.   
With a grunt of gears and breaks the old truck came to a stop at the   
next intersection.   
  
Timmy quickly climbed out of the laundry basket and quietly opened the   
back door.   
He winced as the hinges creaked and glanced back at the driver.   
The man appeared not to have noticed the sound so Timmy exited the truck   
closing the door behind him.   
  
* * *  
  
Three cars back Lewis shook his head in amazement as he watched Timmy   
exit the truck and scurry toward the left side of the street.   
Youth.   
That was the only reason Lewis could think of that would explain the   
man's foolish plan.   
The gray haired man glanced at the gun on the passenger seat and smiled   
grimly.   
/Did he really think he could get away with treason so easily?/   
  
* * *  
  
"Bring her around."The dark haired man in his forties ordered sharply as   
he stood at the foot of Sloan's hospital bed.   
  
The doctor stared at his boss,"Why? We know Daniels will come for her   
wether she's conscience or not."   
  
The other man smirked darkly,"Don't you want to have a little fun with   
this?A few bruises on his precious lady love will make Daniels return to   
the fold that much easier."   
  
* * *  
  
Ed Tate was really begining to feel like he was in a bad movie.   
Check that,not any bad movie, a really bad espionage movie.   
  
"Do you *really* want me to wear this?!"Tate asked increadously as he   
held the gray wig toward Peterson.   
  
Ray grinned slightly as he leaned against the workbench of his   
garage,"Do you want to live to see Sloan's child celebrate its first   
birthday?"   
  
With a suffering sigh Tate put on the wig while straightening the   
flowered skirt,"Why can't I have a normal life?"   
  
Ray's smile widened as he handed a pair of woman's shoes,"You'd be bored   
outside a day and you know it."   
  
Ed glowered at his firend,"Why aren't you in a dress?"   
  
Ray chuckled,"I didn't assult a police officer."   
  
"You were there that makes you an accessory."   
  
"But you have to prove I was there."Ray replied as they got into the   
car,"By the time they get around to dusting the fireplace this mess will   
be over."   
  
"I just hope Daniels doesn't run out on us."Ed said quietly,"He's   
Sloan's only hope right now."   
  
*********  
  
Tom knew returning to the boarding house he was staying at was a risk.   
But he needed a few things.   
As he rounded the corner of the hallway he felt the presence of another   
of his kind.   
Tom ducked back against the wall and peeked around the corner. A shadow   
moved to his door and entered.   
  
Tom withdrew his gun and walked the rest of the hallway to his room his   
eyes forever scanning the hallway for an attack.   
Knowing there was no way to sneak up on his enemy Tom entered his room   
in full view.   
Startled the shadow turned around revealing a young red haired man.   
Before the younger man had a chance to open his mouth Tom grabbed him by   
the shirt collar shoving him against the wall.   
  
Timmy struggled to breath as Tom tightened his grip on his throat   
pressing the gun against his head.   
  
"Who are you?"Daniels demanded as he cocked the hammer.   
  
Timmy clawed at Tom's hands unable to breath let alone reply. By some   
miracle he did manage to get one word out,"S-Sloan......"   
Perhaps the wrong word.   
  
Tom's blue eyes narrowed sharply as he recalled the blood stain at   
Sloan's apartment. The terror he felt from her when their minds   
touched,"*Where* is she?"   
  
With the little energy Timmy had left he gestured to Tom's hands which   
still had Timmy's throat in a vice grip.   
Tom let up the pressure but didn't release the younger man,"Tell me   
where she is."   
  
It was then that the pain in Timmy's left side started to register. The   
gunshot he had acquired from Lewis upon entering the building was more   
serious than he had orginally thought.   
His body went slack in Daniels grip as he sruggled to remain conscience.   
Black spots danced in front of his eyes as the room began to spin.   
/Get a grip./Tim thought grimly/Sloan needs your help. She was the only   
friend you ever really had. You owe her./   
But his body wasn't listening. Too weak from the blood loss and Tom's   
attack, Timmy slid down the wall into a sitting postion.   
  
Daniels stepped back in surprise as he noticed for the first time the   
blood spreading across the man's tan t-shirt. He quickly put away his   
gun.   
  
"Who did this?!"Tom demanded as he knelt.   
  
Timmy heard Tom's question but it was now taking all of his strength to   
breath. Taking a deep breath the young man swallowed trying to get   
enough moisture to speak.   
  
"L-Lewis."   
  
Tom's eyes narrowed,"Why would Lewis attack you?"   
  
Timmy's eyes fluttered closed as the pain intensified,"S-Snuck out to   
find you."Timmy replied in a hoarse voice as he opened his eyes,"Had to   
help Sloan.....we.....we.......were friends back in college....."   
  
Tom nodded as he pulled out his cellular phone and dialed 911,"What's   
your name?"He asked.   
  
"Tim."The young man replied his voice barely audiible.   
  
"Where are they holding her?"Tom asked while trying to relay information   
to the 911 operator at the same time.   
  
The operator told Tom an ambulance was on its way. As Tom ended the call   
he knew they wouldn't get there in time.   
Tim's breathing was shallow and he was losing conscienceness.   
  
"Where is Sloan?"Tom repeated.   
  
Tim whispered the address just before his breathing stopped completely.   
  
  
"Thankyou for looking out for her."Tom said softly as he closed the dead   
man's eyes.   
  
Tom stood and quickly gathered the items he had come for and quietly   
left the room.   
  
*******  
  
Detective Peter Hurst slowly opened his eyes to see the frowning face of   
Katherine Krieg.   
  
"What the hell hit me?"The blond detective muttered as he struggled to   
sit up.   
  
"Take it easy,Peter."Krieg commanded softly as she placed a gentle hand   
on her friend's shoulder,"As for your question I'd say the lamp at your   
feet is the culprit."   
  
As he slowly st up Peter noticed the open door behind her and the broken   
lamp,"What are you doing here anyway?"   
  
Krieg knelt next to him,"I'm assuming Daniels got away?"   
  
Hurst glared at her but nodded,wincing as pain richocetted through his   
skull,"Through the window. He had help though."   
  
Krieg's cellular phone ran cutting off her reply,"Krieg?"   
  
A cold knot of fear formed in the pit of Hurst's stomach as he saw her   
expression change.   
  
"Thanks,we're on our way."Krieg replied as she ended the conversation.   
  
"What is it?"Hurst asked as he accepted her hand and pulled himself to   
his feet.   
  
Krieg replaced her phone,"We have another murder."   
  
"Daniels?"Peter asked in a tight voice as they started walking towrad   
the door.   
  
Krieg nodded,"Paramedics just discovered a body in his room,no ID."   
  
"Cause of death?"Hurst asked as they walked down the hallway.   
  
"Gunshot."Krieg replied sadly as they exited the building.   
  
*******  
  
Walter Attwood rolled down the driver's side window as he glared at the  
two familiar occupants of the car next to his.  
  
"In case you two didn't notice the cloak and dagger stuff never had good  
luck with us before."Walter snapped as he recalled having to duck a  
bullet or two.  
  
Ray gestured at the bright sunlight and the crowded beach in front of  
them,"Walter,this is hardly cloak and dagger."   
  
Attwood sighed wearily,"Just tell me what's going on and,"He said  
gesturing toward Ed's disguise,"I *do not* want to know why he's wearing  
that."  
  
***  
  
Tom had decided to walk to the address Timmy had given him instead of  
risking detection by car. The address ironicly turned out to be a high  
rise office building less than three blocks from Whitney univeristy.   
  
He crept into an alley on the north side of the building and entered  
through a fire door. The hallway the fire door opened into was a tiny  
service corridor. Tom paused for a moment to figure the layout of the  
building.  
Once he had his bearings, the FBI agent turned to his right and walked  
down to a door marked stairs.  
  
***  
  
The doctor watching over Sloan glanced up from his clipboard in surprise  
as a gray haired man entered the room. The black haired man in his  
forties moved away from the wall as the older man came to a stop next to  
Sloan's bed.  
  
"Why are you here,Sir?"The doctor asked hoping his voice didn't sound as  
shaky as it did to his ears.  
  
The gray haired man's blue eyes didn't move from Sloan's still  
form,"Things are heating up. I decided to come down and watch over our  
prize myself."   
  
Realization dawned on the doctor as he lowered the clipboard to his  
side,"Daniels is here?"  
  
The older man nodded,"He's right on schedule."  
  
"So what do we do with her once we have Daniels?"The doctor asked as he  
looked down at the young woman.  
  
A smile began to creep across the gray haired man's face as he turned to  
face his colleague,"Let our Tommyboy see her then end her suffering." 


	3. Love Comes Once chapter three

Detective Katherine Krieg studied the body of John Doe. She ignored the  
crime scene unit as they fluttered around her. The man appeared to be in  
his early thirties with short red hair. Cause of death resulting from  
the bullet wound on his left side.  
There were faint bruise marks around his throat.  
  
Peter came to stand next to her,"All of Daniels things are gone.  
Landlady said he payed in advance."  
  
Katherine shook her head as she folded her arms across her  
chest,"Daniels didn't kill this guy."  
  
"I agree its really stupid to kill a person in a room registered in your  
name and not bother to clean up the mess,"Peter replied,"But we're  
assuming Daniels's is playing with a full deck. His girlfriend's  
missing, probably dead and he wants revenge."  
  
"This whole mess doesn't add up."Krieg said as she grabbed one of the  
techs by the elbow as he passed by,"I want blood tests done on John Doe,  
STAT."  
  
The tech nodded and quickly moved forward to get a blood sample.  
  
Peter stared at her,"What good is a blood test......wait a minute you  
think Doe here is one of those new species?"  
  
Krieg nodded,"Its the only thing that makes sense,Peter. Parker's boss  
was the one who discovered them and she's dead. Six months later Parker  
mysteriously disappears. I want to know who this guy is and what his  
connection is to Daniels."  
  
* * *  
  
"While you two were out playing cops and robbers,"Attwood began after Ed  
had filled him in on recent events,"I've been calling in favors. have a  
few leads on who might have Sloan. I'm just waiting for one more phone  
call."  
  
Ed's gaze drifted to the ocean,"Do you think there's any chance she's  
still alive?"  
  
Attwood sighed as he rested a hand on the steering wheel,"Yes I think  
there's a very good chance. They want leverage over us and over Tom.  
They'll keep her alive as long as she serves a purpose."  
  
Whatever Ed's reply was going to be it was interupted by the ringing of  
Attwood's cellular phone.  
  
* * *  
  
Tom paused on the first floor landing of the stairwell. He had to know  
where Sloan was and there was only one easy way to do that.  
Closing his eyes the FBI agent reached out and touched Sloan's mind.   
He momentarily reeled from the pain she was in but quickly blocked it  
out. He concentrated on her memories. When he found the information he  
needed Tom started up the stairs.  
  
Getting in to Sloan was one thing getting them both out safely was going  
to be the tough part.  
  
* * *  
  
"Well?"Ed Tate demanded as soon as Attwood ended the conversation.  
  
Attwood looked over at his two colleagues debating on how much of this  
new information to tell them.  
He was barely keeping a reign on Tate now if the young man knew who was  
holding Sloan he'd be unstopable.  
Not that Attwood blamed him. He was feeling the same anger and fear as  
Tate was.  
  
"Who has Sloan?"Ray prompted his concern growing at Attwood's silence.  
  
"You recall how we thought the new species had cloning technology or  
cloning aspects in their genes?"Walter asked quietly.  
  
Ed felt icy fear begin to form a knot in his stomach,"Who?"  
  
"Lewis."Attwood replied grimly,"My source didn't know the name but the  
one who has Sloan is a clone of Lewis. Lewis's brother so to speak."  
  
*******  
  
Tom's hand tightened on the gun handle as he cautiously opened the  
stairwell doorway and looked out onto the seventeenth floor.  
No one was in sight as Tom stepped out onto the tan linolum floor.  
Twenty five feet later Tom came to the room where they were holding  
Sloan.  
No guards.....  
No alarms.....  
Too easy.  
  
Knowing he had no choice Tom turned the handle and stepped into the  
small room.  
The sight that greeted him made his heart plummet.  
  
***  
  
Ed did a double take at his boss,"Your source is sure about this?"  
Attwood nodded,"Yes."  
  
Tate yanked his cellular phone out of the glove compartment,"We have to  
warn Tom."  
  
Attwood reached over and took the phone away,"No."  
  
Ed stared at him in disbelief,"How can we possibly not warn him?! Lewis  
alone makes Tom go bonkers.....Sloan doesn't stand a chance if Lewis's  
clone reprograms him."  
  
"Trying to warn him would be signing Sloan's death warrent."Walter  
replied grimly,"Tom has fought the programming before and been  
successful. We just have to have faith that he can do it again."  
  
"So we do nothing?"Ed asked increadously.  
  
Attwood shook his head,"No, we'll help Sloan another way.....by solving  
the mystery of the Pillar."  
  
***  
  
Detective Katherine Krieg found Peter in the squad's break room fighting  
with a bottle of asprin.  
  
Krieg took the bottle from him as she handed Peter a piece of computer  
printout,"Head still hurt?"  
  
Hurst glared at her slightly for the obvious question,"No, its down to  
the level of a bad hangover."He replied sarcasticly as he jestured to  
the printout,"What's this?"  
  
"Read it and find out."Katherine replied as she opened the asprin bottle  
and set it on the table in front of him.  
  
Peter's green eyes widened as he read the information,"1.6 DNA  
differencial....."  
  
Katherine nodded,"We haven't been able to ID our John Doe yet but at  
leat we know he's not one of us."  
  
******  
  
For a split second Tom thought he was too late.   
Sloan lay in the hospital bed; white as a ghost and still as death.   
Tom caustiously glanced around the empty room as he crept forward.   
When he finally reached her side Tom gently held her hand in his.   
  
The coldness of her skin shocked him. It was only then that he heard the   
soft beeping of the heart monitor.   
As he gently set her hand down a flash of color caught his attention.   
Tom frowned seeing the IV bag full of a pink liquid.   
  
Tom gently began to remove the IV from Sloan's arm.He knew it was a risk   
but he had to get her out of here. He could only hope that Ed and   
Attwood could reverse any damage that was already done.   
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."A deep voice said from behind him.   
  
***   
  
As the trio entered Attwood's office Walter stopped so suddenly that Ed   
collided into the older man.   
  
"What is it?"Ray asked from behind Tate as he strained to see into the   
room.   
  
"We have a visitor."Attwood stated grimly as he took a step forward   
allowing the others to see.   
  
Lewis was leaning against the front of Attwood's desk looking for all   
the world like the cat that had swallowed the perverbial canary.   
Ed was glad he had stopped by his apartment to change back into regular   
clothes.   
High heels would make what he was about to do more difficult.   
As Ed looked at Lewis's smug face he felt rage begin to corase through   
him.   
  
The memories came in quick succession:   
The fear he felt finding Sloan's apartment door open.   
The ransacked apartment.   
The blood stained carpet.   
  
"Where is she?!"Ed demanded as he stalked forward his hands clenched   
into fists.   
  
Walter's right arm shot out forcing Tate back.   
  
Attwood glanced back at Peterson,"Ray,would you be so kind as to alert   
sercurity?"   
  
The black man nodded and began to back out of the room.   
  
"That's not the kind of hospitality I was expecting."Lewis stated calmly   
halting Ray in the doorway.   
  
Ed glared at him not believing what he was hearing,"Hospitality?!"He   
repeated bitterly,"After all you've done you have the nerve to expect   
hospitality from us?!"   
  
Lewis simply nodded,"Yes,if you want my help in rescuing the good   
doctor."   
  
*******  
  
It took most of Tom's remaining will power to keep his face   
expressionless as he turned to face his enemy.   
Though the face was familiar Tom knew the person standing at the doorway   
wasn't who it appeared to be.   
  
"Who are you?"Tom asked quietly not moving from Sloan's bedside.   
  
The gray haired man chuckled as he walked into the room closing the door   
behind him,"I knew I couldn't fool you."   
  
Tom folded his arms across his chest,"No one would want to be Lewis   
unless they had no choice."   
  
The elder man nodded,"You're correct I am not your mentor but since we   
were cloned from the same genes we do possess similiar traits. Which is   
how I knew your weakness."   
  
Tom knew he was being backed into a corner. He knew he was as far away   
from Sloan and their future as he could be. But Tom also knew that if he   
didn't play along and give them what they wanted Sloan wouldn't have a   
future.   
That was a possiblity that Tom refused to comprehend.   
  
"What do you want from me?"Tom asked evenly forcing his thoughts away   
from Sloan. He had to protect her secret....their secret.   
  
Lewis's 'brother' smiled as he came to stand next to the FBI agent,"Only   
your soul."   
  
***  
  
"So what's next?"Detective Peter Hurst asked as he took a soda out of   
the small refrigerator and headed back to the table,"We already checked   
Daniel's place and got notta."   
  
Katherine nodded,"The only way we'll find out John Doe's connection to   
Daniel's is to go back to the begining."   
  
Hurst raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his cola,"Back to Parker's   
apartment?"   
  
Krieg grinned as she stood,"Very astute deduction Holmes."   
  
Hurst rose to his feet,"Why thankyou Watson,I do my best."   
  
"Let's get going."Katherine replied as she headed toward the door,"I   
don't know why but I have a feeling the clock's running on this case."   
  
***   
  
Ed Tate could only stare.   
Not at the man they had all come to fear but at his boss who was   
seriously considering the enemy's offer.   
Just as three burly security men arrived in the doorway Ed roughly   
yanked Attwood over to the left side of the room. At the moment loosing   
his job was the farthest thing from his mind.   
  
"If you even listen to one more word that man has to say,"Ed whispered   
angerily as he jestured toward Lewis,"You're betraying Sloan and   
everything she believes in!"   
  
Walter only acknowledged him long enough to break the younger man's   
grasp before turning his attention back to Lewis.   
  
"What do you have in mind?"Attwood asked Lewis as he walked toward the   
center of the room.   
  
*********  
  
Tom didn't answer Sloan's captor right away. He knew that a quick answer   
was just what Lewis's clone was waiting for.   
  
"Cat has your tongue I see?"Lewis's 'brother' asked with a smile as he   
turned to face the younger man,"Very well, I'll have them up her dosage   
since I can see you no longer care for Dr. Parker."   
  
The black haired nurse barely stepped into the room before Tom whirled   
to face Lewis's clone.   
  
"What guarantee do I have that you'll release her?"Tom asked forcing   
himself not to look at Sloan's still form.   
  
Colin smiled as he folded his arms across his chest,"You have my word,   
is that not good enough?"When Tom's eyes narrowed in response Colin   
continued,"Very well. If you agree to my conditions the good Doctor is   
yours to do with as you please. I will allow you access to whatever you   
need."   
  
Tom sighed inwardly he knew this offer was too good to be true. But for   
Sloan's sake and for their child's he had to take the risk. If he could   
just get her back to Tate they might all have a chance at getting out of   
this mess alive.   
  
"What are your conditions?"Tom asked reluctantly as he moved away from   
Sloan's hospital bed.   
  
Colin smiled as he patted Tom on the back,"All in good time,my friend.   
You take care of the good doctor and then we'll talk."   
  
***   
  
Before Lewis could reply Ed moved to stand between the two men.   
Walter forced himself not to glare at the younger man. Ed didn't know   
that he was planning on playing both ends against the middle.   
  
"Please step aside,Ed."Walter replied calmly,"You're not helping the   
situation."   
  
Ed's eyes narrowed dangerously,"*I'm* not helping the situation?!"He   
repeated increadously as he gestured behind to Lewis,"You're the one   
about to make a deal with the devil. There is no way possible that we   
can even consider trusting him!"   
  
"If you have a better plan,Ed,I'm all for it."Attwood replied.   
  
"You might be more of a liability to your friend than an assest."Lewis   
interjected.   
  
Ed whirled to face the older man,"What the hell does that mean?!"He   
demanded fighting to keep a reign on his emotions. Getting killed by   
Lewis would definitely not help Sloan.   
  
"There's a bounty on your head,"Lewis replied as he moved away from the   
desk,"Or were you not aware of that?"   
  
Ed took a step toward him fist clenched,"You wouldn't happen to have had   
anything to do with that would you?"   
  
"Enough!"Walter shouted gaining everyone's attention. Turning he   
dismissed the three security guards standing in the doorway.   
  
Once they were gone Attwood turned his attention back to Ed,"If you   
value Sloan's life as much as you claim you will do one of two things.   
Ethier you remain in this room and let Mr. Lewis have his say and go   
along with whatever I decide. Or you leave now and do things on your own   
that could interfere with Mr. Lewis's help which would jeopardize   
Sloan's life."   
  
Ed opened his mouth to reply but quickly clamped it shut. With a   
resigned glare in Lewis's direction Ed retreated to the far wall.   
  
Satisfied that the situation was under the control for the moment Walter   
glanced at Lewis,"Ed did bring up a valid point,Mr. Lewis. Why should we   
trust you? Especially now."   
  
Lewis nodded,"I admit my timing is unfortunate but it couldn't be   
helped. Situations have changed that prompted me to make this offer.   
This is a one time only offer Dr. Attwood....do you wish my help in   
finding Dr. Parker or not?"   
  
With an affirmative nod Attwood replied,"What is your plan?"   
  
********  
  
Ray Peterson was just returning to Attwood's office when his cellular   
phone rang,"Peterson?"   
  
"Pandora's warehouse,3:00.Tell Tate,no one else."   
  
"Tom?"Ray started to ask but all he received was the dial tone.   
  
"Damn."Peterson mumbled as he collapsed the phone and returned it to his   
pocket.   
  
He quickly entered the office only to find Lewis still there talking   
quietly with Attwood.   
Ray spotted Ed leaning against the far wall the younger man clearly not   
happy by Lewis's presence.   
Somehow Ray had to alert Ed to Tom's call without the other two finding   
out.   
Peterson glanced at his watch,and they only had a half hour to meet   
Tom's deadline.   
  
***   
  
Tom stepped off the elevator onto the seventh floor of the same building   
where Sloan had been held.   
It seemed to have become Lewis's clone's temporary headquarters.   
Tom turned right and headed down the corridor toward a double oak door.   
More than anything he had wanted to be at the warehouse to make sure   
Sloan was handed over to Tate safely.   
But as part of his agreement with Colin he had to remain here.   
As he opened the door to the spacious office Tom forced his thoughts   
away from Sloan.   
Now was the time to find out what he had to do to get back to her.   
  
Colin was behind a large black lacquer desk when Tom paused in the   
doorway. The older man smiled and waved Daniels in as he stood.   
  
"Tom,please come in."Colin stated with a wide smile as he walked around   
the desk,"I assume everything is settled with the good doctor?"   
  
Daniels closed the door behind him as he nodded,"Yes,she's in good   
hands."   
  
"Splendid."Colin replied as he gestured for Tom to take a seat in one of   
the wingbacked brown leather chairs that flanked the desk.   
  
Tom took a seat in the left chair and silently waited for Colin to stop   
playing the gracious host and give him his demands.   
  
Colin returned to his desk chair and folded his hands in front of him on   
the desk,"Now that my end of our bargain has been taken care of its time   
to full fill yours."   
  
"What do you want from me?"Tom asked in a clipped voice.   
  
Colin smiled as he leaned back in his chair,"To finish what my darling   
brother asked of you when you first returned to the City of Angels."   
Tom froze.   
  
"Ah,I see you remember,that's good."Colin replied with a smug smile,"Our   
dear Doctor Tate knows far too much for his and our own good. He must be   
silenced."   
  
***  
  
"What did you tell Attwood?"Ray asked in a hushed voice as the pair   
walked quickly out of the lab.   
  
"That I could help Sloan more by going home and putting what I   
remembered of the pillar data on disk."Ed replied tensely as they   
stopped at Ray's car.   
  
"Shouldn't we take your car?"Ray asked,"If Attwood thinks you've   
left...."   
  
Ed shook his head,"He's too preoccupied with Lewis to know if my car's   
here or not. If he asks I'll just say you gave me a lift. Besides if   
Sloan's hurt your car has more room for me to work."   
  
"Right."Ray replied as they got into the car.   
  
*******  
  
Do to famous or infamous Los Angeles traffic Ed and Ray didn't arrive at   
the warehouse district untill five minutes after three.   
Ed would have bolted from the car if Ray hadn't placed a restraining   
hand on his shoulder.   
  
"This could still be a trap,Ed."Peterson cautioned as he double checked   
his ammunition.   
  
Ed shook his head as he placed his hand on the doorhandle. He knew Ray   
was refering to the aledged bounty on his head but that didn't matter to   
Ed right now. They were so close to getting Sloan back.   
  
"I don't care."Tate replied as he stepped out of the car.   
  
Peterson exited the car and walked around the front his dark eyes   
scanning the small warehouse,"You might not but I do and so does Sloan.   
She needs you in one piece,Ed."   
  
Tate heard something in his friend's voice,"Did Daniels tell you   
something else that you're not telling me?"   
  
Ray shook his head,"You know everything I do. All I'm saying is I got a   
bad feeling about this."   
  
Ed nodded as he moved to stand at the front of the car,"I'll keep that   
in mind."   
  
Despite Peterson's protests the pair entered the warehouse side by side.   
The interior of the building was completely bare.   
Ed felt his heart plummet as he desperately scanned the empty area for   
any sign of his friend.   
Nothing.   
  
"Dammit!"Tate swore as he slammed his right fist into the far wall.   
He stood there for a moment allowing in the exhaustion he had held in   
check for the past few weeks.   
Tired.   
He was so very tired of all of this.   
The new species could have their games.   
The could have the whole damn planet for all he cared.   
All Ed Tate wanted at that moment was to see his best friend again.   
  
With his gun at his side Ray approached his friend,"Ed,"The older man   
called causing his friend to turn around,"What was the name of this   
warehouse?"   
  
A glimmer of hope started to creep into Tate's eyes as he stepped away   
from the wall,"Pandora."   
  
"There's a secret compartment."Ray and Ed exclaimed in unison as they   
fanned out and began searching the walls of the warehouse.   
  
*******  
  
The small nightclub blended into the mass of office buildings and high   
rises as well as any CIA operative going undercover.   
If you didn't know it existed you'd never know it was there walking by   
it on the street.   
It was exactly the kind of place Attwood liked to retreat too when   
things in the real world got too hairy.   
Now as he stepped through the doors with Lewis close at his heels   
Attwood realized this place had been his sanctuary more times than he   
liked to count.   
Now the real life he had tried to keep out of this place was barging in.   
  
Despite the early hour there was a growing crowd of regular customers.   
The bartender a young red haired woman in her late twenties recognized   
Attwood as the pair walked past.   
Attwood nodded in her direction before motioning Lewis toward one of the   
rear booths that lined the back wall.   
  
"I thought you wanted my help,Doctor Attwood,"Lewis began as the two men   
settled into the booth,"Not a drinking companion."   
  
Attwood smiled in acknowledgment to the bartender as she put two drinks   
in front of them,"You of all people should know that things are not   
always what they appear to be."   
  
As the bartender left Attwood pulled a small piece of white paper out   
from under the glass. It stated simply:   
Heard of your situation.   
Will be arriving at half past.   
  
Attwood pocketed the piece of paper and looked back at Lewis who had   
leaned back against the bench.   
  
"You never did answer my question earlier."Attwood prompted as he took a   
sip of his drink.   
  
Lewis absently turned his glass around in a circle as he met Attwood's   
gaze,"Which question was that,Doctor?"   
  
"Why the sudden about face?"Attwood replied as he leaned forward,"Why   
choose now to help us? You've made your feelings toward Dr. Parker quite   
clear to the point of kidnapping if I recall correctly."   
  
Lewis nodded,"The kidnapping was a means to an end. Situations have   
changed that have enlightened me to the error of my ways."   
  
***   
  
Fifteen minutes had ticked by since Ray and Ed had begun their search   
for a hidden room.   
So far the bare warehouse walls offered no clues to Sloan's whereabouts   
but Ed wasn't giving up.   
Tom wouldn't have risked everything to send them here if she wasn't here   
somewhere.   
He might if he had never been on your side to start with.A nagging voice   
reminded Ed as he dautingly continued his search.   
Ed shrugged off the nagging voice as he moved to the left wall. He was   
half way down that wall when Ray's shout drew his attention.   
  
"Ed,I think I found it!"Ray called from his postion by the far right   
corner of the building,"Give me a hand with this board. Its loose but   
its stuck on something."   
  
Tate scurried over and quickly found a hand hold on the piece of brown   
painted wood.   
As he and Ray tugged on the piece of wood Ed realized that the space   
between them and the back wall would be enough room for a door.   
A small skinny door but a door none the less.   
Just when it appeared like the stubborn wood wasn't going to budge it   
flew loose sending both men sprawling backwards a few feet.   
  
As the two friends regained their balance Ray tossed the piece of wood   
aside. The opening was barely large enough to allow a person to fit   
through.   
  
But that didn't stop Ed as he glanced back at Ray,"Give me your   
flashlight."   
  
Ray silently handed it to him and the pair squeezed through the opening   
and stepped into the dark room.   
  
As the flashlight splashed against the far wall the image that greeted   
Ed made his heart freeze.   
Part of him had been trying to prepare for the fact that she would be   
hurt or worse when they finally found her.   
But the reality of seeing his best friend's still form lying in a   
hospital bed was harsher than anything he could have prepared for.   
  
"Sloan."Tate whispered as he forced his feet to move forward.   
  
His medical training took over as Ed examined Sloan's still form.   
  
"She alive?"Ray asked softly.   
  
"Barely."Ed replied angerily as he checked Sloan's vital signs.   
  
"Is the baby okay?"Ray asked as he warily glanced behind them still half   
expecting this to be a trap.   
  
Tate swallowed hard as picked Sloan up as gently as he could,"I'll know   
more when we get her back to the lab." 


	4. Love Comes Once chapter 4

Tom glanced around the spacious suite Colin had assigned to him and   
fought the urge to pace.   
He had to keep up the facade that none of this mattered to him.   
That it was all just another job.   
For all their sake's.   
Especially his child's.   
  
Slowly Tom sank down onto the white sofa. He hadn't really allowed   
himself to think of the child since he had found out about its   
existence.   
There had been too much else going on.   
Too much at stake.   
  
Now as time was thrust apon him Tom had time to think.   
To really think.   
As he had told Sloan in the hotel he hadn't considered himself a family   
man.   
It had just never been an option.   
He had never really thought of the future untill he met Sloan.   
Now that's all he thought about.   
  
As he thought of Sloan his eyes drifted closed. By agreeing to Colin's   
deal he had prevented him from upping Sloan's dosage.   
But he still had no idea what kind of drug he had given her or for how   
long.   
Tom also had no idea what kind of damage it could do or had already done   
to his child.   
Or Sloan....   
Both were far too precious to him to even consider life without.   
Tom could only pray that Ed could help them.   
  
Which left Tom the debacle of keeping Ed alive while at the same time   
making Colin think Tate was dead.   
So Tom could get back to his family.   
  
***  
  
For the hundredth time Ed wished he could take Sloan to a regular   
hospital.   
At the moment he would risk loosing her friendship if it gave her and   
the baby a better chance to stay alive.   
As Tate moved around one of the small labs he had turned into a   
makeshift examination room he felt like he was walking through   
quicksand.   
No matter what he did he didn't seem to be doing it fast enough.   
  
The instant they had arrived back at the University Ed had taken Sloan's   
blood to try to determine what drug or poison they had given her.   
Now twenty minutes later the computers were still scanning the databanks   
with no sign of getting a match.   
And on top of that Sloan's blood pressure was dropping dangerously.   
If it dropped any farther she'd slip into a coma.   
And if that happened Ed didn't know what would happen to the baby.   
There was just too many unknowns for him to even begin looking for the   
answers.   
  
Tate glanced up from the computer screen as a streophone cup was placed   
in his field of vision.   
Ed shot Peterson a grateful look as he took the cup of   
cappuchino,"Thanks."   
  
"How's she doing?"Ray asked softly as he looked over at Sloan's still   
form.   
  
"Not good."Ed replied worriedly,"If I could just figure out what the   
hell they gave her I might have a fighting chance of saving her."   
  
*******  
  
Just when Tom thought he would go stircrazy there was a knock on the   
door.   
He knew who it was instantly.   
/Game time./Daniels thought bitterly as he stood and walked over to the   
door opening it to allow Colin in.   
  
"Did you sleep well?"Colin asked as he shut the door behind him.   
  
"Yes."Tom replied as he stood by the corner of the sofa.   
  
"Good."Colin commented as he handed Tom a manila file folder,"I trust   
you had time to think about the matter we discussed earlier?"   
  
Tom took the folder and began to glance through the papers,"Yes."he   
replied as he scanned the diagrams,weapons inventory,personal   
list,"There should be no problems."   
  
"Excellent."Colin stated as he headed toward the door,"So I assume our   
good Doctor Tate won't see another sunrise?"   
  
Tom nodded,"On one condition."   
  
Colin stopped and turned to face Daniels,"Such as?"   
  
Tom held up the list of personal,"I work alone."He replied as he   
crumpled the piece of paper and tossed it on the floor along with the   
file folder.   
  
Before Colin could say another word Tom walked past him and exited the   
room.   
  
***   
  
"I've put my cards on the table."Attwood stated as a young woman with   
long black hair slid into the seat next to him,"Its time you did the   
same. How exactly can you help us retrieve Sloan?"   
  
Lewis's blue eyes flickered to the stranger. She wasn't one of his kind   
so that left the obvious option that she was Attwood's alli.   
  
The woman was a cool customer,Lewis could tell that right off. She was   
fairly pretty with sharp green eyes and raven black hair pulled back   
into a braide. She was tall and thin wearing a simple beige business   
suit.   
  
"I don't recall this being a three party game,Doctor."Lewis replied   
smoothly.   
  
Attwood glanced sideways at the newcomer,"Forgive my manners. This is   
Lucy Sanchez,completely trustworthy and descreat which is why I called   
her."   
  
"A pleasure I'm sure."The dark haired woman replied with a smile as she   
met Lewis's gaze,"And I believe my collegaue asked you a question."   
  
Lewis studied the woman for another moment before leaning forward,"Let's   
just say I have inside knowledge of the person holding her."   
  
***   
  
"I know I'm not the medical type,"Ray began as he moved away from the   
wall,"But let me relieve you so you can get a couple hours sleep.   
  
Ed pushed his chair away from the desk. He had to admit he was tempted   
by the offer of sleep. He hadn't had much since Sloan disappeared,but he   
couldn't.   
He knew it was irrational,but he feared that if he closed his eyes Sloan   
would disappear.   
And this time they would never find her.   
  
Tate ran a weary hand over his face before glancing at Ray,"Thanks but   
no thanks."   
  
"I'll wake you the minute anything changes."Peterson replied even though   
he knew it was futile. Once Ed had his mind made up about something it   
was made up.Couldn't change it with a buldozer.   
  
Ed shook his head as he moved to stand next to Sloan,"I appreciate the   
offer,Ray,I do. But I need to stay here. Its my fault she's lying there   
fighting for her life and I have to do everything I can to help. I owe   
her that much."   
  
Ray cocked his head his dark eyes filled with concern,"How do you figure   
this is your fault?"   
  
Tate leaned against the metal railing of Sloan's bed his gaze never   
leaving her face,"How can you say its not? I left her alone with   
Daniels."   
  
Peterson moved forward,"Ed there's no way you could've known what was   
going to happen. You were respecting Sloan's wishes."   
  
Ed shook his head,"I should have stayed and helped her deal with   
Daniels. Then I would've been there when he left and I could've fought   
off whoever came and took her."   
  
"Ed,listen to me."Ray replied sternly,"If you had been there they   
would've hurt you or worse killed you in front of Sloan. What kind of   
affect would that have had on Sloan's pregnancy?"   
  
Ed nodded,"I know,but its how I feel. I just can't help but think if I   
had stood my ground none of this would have happened."   
  
Before Ray could reply Ed's computer beeped drawing their attention.   
Tate's face lit up as he scurried into the desk chair,"This is one of   
the tests I've been waiting on. Keep your finger's crossed,Ray,we might   
hit the jack pot."   
  
*******  
  
Tom sat in a gray rental car a few blocks from the university. He knew   
he had to make a move soon since he was being watched.   
But he had to give Ed as much time as possible to help Sloan and the   
baby.   
  
Daniels sighed as he gathered the few items he needed and got out of the   
car. He could only pray that the plan he had come up with worked as well   
in practice as it did on paper.   
The irony of the whole thing was,Tom thought darkly as he started the   
familiar journey to the university lab,he had promised Sloan he wouldn't   
leave her,no matter what.   
Now he had to do everything in his power to keep her from leaving him.   
  
***  
  
With Lucy driving they followed Lewis's directions to the highrise where   
Sloan was being held.   
Three blocks from their destination the woman suddenly wrapped the car   
into a sharp left turn nearly taking out a taxi and a motorcycle in the   
process.   
  
"What the hell are you doing?!"Attwood demanded as he clutched the   
dashboard to keep from flying through the windsheild.   
  
"What our kind should have done a long time ago."Sanchez replied with a   
cold smile as she pulled the car into a small side street and threw it   
in park.   
  
Turning she pulled a gun out of her suit coat and trained it on Lewis,"I   
would say you're under arrest,but our laws don't govern your kind."   
Attwood leaned forward his right hand outreached,"Lucy,if you give me   
the gun,this won't go on your record."   
  
Sanchez's green gaze never left Lewis who seemed unphased and quite   
amused by the whole situation,"You think I give a damn about my   
record?!"   
  
"Obviously not."Lewis replied as he leaned back in the seat.   
  
"Did I say you could speak?!"Lucy demanded as she fought to regain   
control of her emotions. Loosing it now would give Lewis and their kind   
the upper hand and that was the last thing she wanted.   
  
Attwood tried another tatic,"He will pay for all the crimes he has   
commited,but not today. We need his help.....think of the greater good."   
  
"Sloan Parker is only one person."Sanchez replied bitterly,"If we have   
Lewis in our possession we'll have something to bargain with. Or even   
better we can give him some uncurable disease and send him back to his   
people....take our planet back. We were here first and we're not leaving   
so they might as well get used to the idea and this is the first step."   
  
***   
  
Ray Peterson had to do some fancy footwork to catch the computer monitor   
before it hit the floor.   
  
"Damn!"Ed swore as he bolted to the oppisite end of the room ripping his   
lab coat off and throwing it to the floor.   
The test he thought would give them all the answers had come back   
inconclusive. Same as the rest.   
  
Ray carefully placed the monitor back on top of the computer before   
turning to face his friend,"Ed....."   
  
Tate ignored him as he continued to stalk around the room running an   
angry hand through his hair,"Why the hell couldn't Daniels have left a   
note or something?! How does he expect me to work miracles when I have   
nothing to work with!"   
  
Whatever Ray's reply was going to be it was instantly forgotten when the   
alarm on Sloan's heart monitor started to scream.   
  
******  
  
"Wasn't Forensic's supposed to clean up after they were done?"Detective   
Peter Hurst muttered darkly as he survived Sloan Parker's apartment.   
  
"I'll reprimand then later."Katherine Krieg replied as she stepped   
carefully into the living room.   
  
The blond man sighed as he followed her righting a chair,bookcase and   
table along the way,"We'll never find anything in this mess. At least   
not in time anyway."   
  
Krieg glared at her friend slightly,"Thankyou, Mr. Optimisim. Are you   
going to stand there all day complaining or are you going to do some   
actual police work?"   
  
Hurst muttered something under his breath that Katherine didn't quite   
catch and she figured she was better off not knowing.   
  
"Why don't you start in here and I'll search the bedroom."Krieg   
suggested as she walked out of the living room.   
  
Peter surveyed the mountain of books and magazines and sighed,"Knew I   
should have gone into the rodeo like I wanted but no my parents said you   
have to have a stable career."   
  
* * *  
  
Not allowing himself to think beyond the necassary medical procedures Ed   
rushed to his friend's side as he studied the heart monitor.   
  
"Damn!"Ed muttered as he switched off the alarm and reached for the   
defibulator paddles.   
  
"What's wrong?"Ray asked as he stayed out of Tate's way.   
  
"Her blood pressure dropped,"Ed replied his gaze never wavering from   
Sloan's still form as he impaitently waited for the machine to heat   
up,"She's gone into cardiac arrest."   
  
The machine finally ready Ed placed the paddles on Sloan's chest praying   
that he was remembering his medical training correctly.   
  
Sloan's body arched upwards as the electrical charge raced to her heart.   
However the heart monitor didn't change.   
  
"Damn."Ed swore as he franticly turned to the machine and turned the   
dial higher,"Don't you even think of leaving,Sloan."   
  
Peterson watched helplessly as Ed once again placed the paddles on   
Sloan's chest and hit the correct button.   
Time seemed to stand still as Sloan's body arched then layed back onto   
the matteress.   
Ed's brown eyes flickered to the heart monitor. He blinked twice before   
he finally believed what the readouts were saying.   
Sloan's heartbeat was back.   
  
"Is it over?"Ray asked quietly as he approached the bed.   
  
Ed nodded as he put the paddles away wearily leaning against the metal   
bedrail,"For now. Whatever this thing is Ray its zapping her strength.   
If her heart crashes again I don't know if we'll be able to pull her   
back."   
  
Tate turned his attention back to Sloan gently brushing a stray brown   
bang away from her forehead,"You have to fight,Sloan."His voice dropped   
to a whisper,"Please,you can't give up now."   
  
* * *  
  
Lewis leaned forward so Sanchez's gun was aimed at his chest,"What are   
you waiting for? Or don't you know how to operate the weapon?"   
  
Attwood cringed inwardly as he warily watched Lucy for her reaction.   
  
Sanchez grinned,"I could blow your head off any time I wanted to."   
  
"That wouldn't solve anything."Walter replied evenly as his mind raced   
to come up with a solution.   
  
"It might make them sit up and take notice."Lucy replied as she cocked   
the hammer.   
  
Walter shook his head,"Were you not paying attention during the Randal   
Lynch escapade? We killed him and it didn't stop them for a blink of an   
eye. Lucy, they don't care about each other."   
  
Lucy shrugged,"Maybe we just didn't have the right target. Lynch   
could've been a renegade,a malfunction to them."   
  
"You're rationalizing this."Attwood replied.   
  
Sanchez whirled the gun on Walter,"Am I? Perhaps I should just kill both   
of you. Some think that you are a sympathizer,Walter."   
  
Attwood's eyes narrowed,"You know that's not true."   
  
"I don't know anything any more."Sanchez replied bitterly as she swung   
the gun back towards Lewis.   
  
But she was a minute too late.   
Lewis had taken advantage of her distraction and grabbed the gun.   
In seconds they were in a deadly checkmate.   
Neither wanting to let go of the weapon. 


	5. Love Comes Once chapter five

Tom doublechecked his weapon,a small crossbow. He had scouted out the   
lab a few minutes earlier and knew exactly which room Ed was in. Tom   
knew he was with Sloan which was why he had to be extremely careful with   
his aim.   
If he didn't shoot Ed and make it look real Colin's wrath would come   
down on all of them.   
If he missed and hurt Sloan instead.......   
  
Tom let the last thought trail off and shook his head to clear it. He   
had to shove his emotions aside in order for this to work.   
If everything went according to plan he and Sloan would finally have a   
happy ending.   
Satsified that the weapon was ready Tom stood on the small hill outside   
the lab's window and took careful aim.   
  
* * *  
  
/I've been watching too many spy movies/Detective Peter Hurst thought   
with a slight shake of his head,/Nobody has a secret compartment under   
the desk./   
  
Even with the odds Hurst decided to go through with the search of the   
underside of the desk anyway. Stranger things had happened. If Parker   
was hiding something here was as good a place as any.   
  
"Peter!"Katherine called entering the living room causing Hurst to whack   
his head sharply on the desk.   
  
"Ouch!"Peter muttered as he scooted out from under the desk holding his   
head,"Next time look at what the person's doing before you sneak up on   
them. You'll save yourself assult charges."   
  
"Cute,"Krieg replied as she offered him a hand up,"You moonlighting as a   
stand up comic?"   
  
"Not yet."Hurst quipped then noticed the thick hard cover book she was   
holding,"Find something or are you catching up on your reading?"   
  
Katherine held the book up to him,"Its Parker's college yearbook and   
guess who I found inside?"   
  
Peter's eyes lit up as he snatched the book from her,"Our John Doe?"   
  
"Bingo,you get a prize."Krieg replied as she sat down on the sofa,"It   
looks like we were barking up the wrong tree. The connection wasn't   
between Daniels and Doe it was between Parker and Doe."   
  
Hurst closed the book and placed it on the desk,"That still adds up to   
zero. We don't know why he was at Daniels's room."   
  
Katherine stood,"If Doe was a friend of Sloan's he could've discovered   
that Daniels's did kill her and went to confront him."   
  
"Which would be a really stupid move."Hurst commented as he leaned   
against the desk.   
  
"True."Katherine replied as she walked toward the door,"Come on we'll   
drop the yearbook off at the station as evidence and you can put an APB   
out on Daniels."   
  
* * *  
  
Ed walked around Sloan's bed and headed back to the computer. He had an   
idea for another test that might shed some light.   
  
Ray saw the look on his friend's face,"You have an idea?"   
  
Ed sat down at the desk and called up the right program,"Maybe, I don't   
want to jinx it."   
  
Suddenly Ed felt a firey pain in his left shoulder. Startled Ed looked   
down at his shoulder and saw a small black dart.   
  
Ray raced forward and was able to catch Tate before the scientist hit   
the floor.   
  
Peterson carefully dragged Tate so they were next to the hospital bed.   
Ray took out his gun and risked a glance at the window. There was a   
small hole in the center of the glass indicating where the dart had   
broken through.   
His instincts told him the shooter was long gone by now so Ray looked   
back at Tate.   
Peterson was shocked to see how pale the young man's face was. Ray   
reached forward to check Ed's pulse it was thready and weak.   
  
"Damn."Peterson said softly as he struggled to figure out what to do.   
His first thought had been to call an ambulance but then Ray realized   
that doing that could cost Sloan's life.   
But if he didn't Ed could die in a matter of minutes and then who would   
be there to take care of Sloan?   
With a sigh Ray took out his cellular phone to call Attwood.   
  
********  
  
Attwood was getting a migraine and if it was one thing he hated it was   
migraines.   
Took him three days at least to get rid of them.   
Walter sighed inwardly as he watched the scene unfold before him. If he   
had known Sanchez was this high strung he would never have brought her   
into this sensitive situation.   
  
Before he could think of how to approach Lucy, Lewis took charge of the   
situation.   
Lewis easily broke Sanchez's grip on the gun. He roughly shoved her   
backwards causing her to bounce hard against the steering wheel.   
  
"Now,"Lewis stated as he leaned back against the back seat as he aimed   
the gun at Sanchez,"Can we get back to the matter at hand?"   
  
* * *  
  
Ray cursed as he slammed his cellular phone shut. He couldn't reach   
Attwood on any of the numbers Walter had given him.   
Damn the man, now was not the time to disappear.   
Peterson glanced back at Ed and was alarmed at how labored the younger   
man's breathing was.   
He wished he had taken more than the department's required first aid   
course.   
  
Ray knelt next to Tate pulling the blanket up around the young man's   
shoulders,"I can't get a hold of Attwood. Tell me what to do here, Ed.   
Tell me how I can help."   
  
Ed licked his lips struggling to get enough moisture to talk. But it was   
hard enough to breathe let alone have the strength to open his mouth.   
But he had to, Sloan needed him.   
He wasn't going to let them win.   
  
Ed turned his head and saw Ray reaching for his phone,"No."He protested   
weakly,"No ambulance."   
  
"Then tell me what to do."Peterson replied.   
  
Tate glanced over and up at Sloan's still form and realized that for the   
first time he had to put all of his trust,not to mention his life in   
Tom's hands.   
  
While Ray was trying to track down Attwood, Ed had figured out that the   
shooter had been Tom.   
It was the only thing that made sense.   
If the other species had put out a 'contract' on him they would want   
their best person on the job.   
That was Tom.   
And if Tom loved Sloan as much as she said he did Ed could only hope   
that Tom hadn't used a lethal poison.   
That he had used one that would appear fatal so Tom could get out from   
under their thumb and back to Sloan and the baby.   
  
Ed forced his gaze away from Sloan and back to the situation at hand.   
Drawing a shaky breath he told Ray what they would need to flush out the   
poison.   
  
********  
  
Not phased by the gun in Lewis's hand Sanchez glared at the older   
man,"If you think I'm driving you anywhere you're more delusional than I   
thought."   
  
Lewis shrugged,"Then the good Doctor will drive. You claim that Doctor   
Parker's life is no concern to you but you are wrong. She is a part of a   
much bigger picture than you realize. And that is what I was trying to   
show you before you pulled this little stunt. Now if you will be so kind   
as to switch with Doctor Attwood we can get on our way."   
  
Lucy glared at him for a moment before relunctantly opening the driver's   
door and switching seats with Attwood.   
  
***  
  
Ed Tate blinked away the dark spots that appeared in front of his eyes   
as he fought the affects of the poison. No matter what he couldn't loose   
consciousness, not now.   
  
"How's Sloan?"Ed asked in a hoarse voice as Peterson returned with the   
items they needed.   
  
Ray glanced up at the heart monitor,"She's still with us. What do you   
need me to do?"   
  
Ed licked dry lips as he fought the wave of dizziness that threatened to   
overwhelm him,"You're going to have to set up an IV. Here's what you   
do....."   
  
***  
  
Tom Daniels returned to the suite and put away the crossbow and waited   
for Colin.   
Tom could only hope that his plan had worked.   
If it hadn't and Tate died, Sloan would never forgive him.   
  
A knock on the door revealed a fortish man with blond hair,"Mr. Colin   
wants to see you."   
  
Tom nodded and followed the man down the corridor to Colin's office.   
  
***  
  
"Okay,its in."Ray said praying he had followed Tate's instructions   
correctly.   
  
Ed felt his head droop to the side and used the last of his strength to   
straighten it,"Now we wait."   
  
"Ed,what do I do if its not the poison you think it is?"Peterson asked   
as he glanced up at Sloan's still form.   
  
Tate swallowed hard,"Nothing, because there's nothing you can do. If my   
theory's wrong than I die."   
  
Ray shook his head,"I don't buy that."   
  
Ed reached out his hand,"No time to argue,Ray. You're the one who kept   
telling me to trust Tom. Now we have no choice but to do just that."   
  
"Ed....."   
  
Tate felt his strength weakening. His vison was dimming. It was   
difficult to breathe,"Ray,do me a favor....I-If I don't pull through   
this tell Sloan I love her."   
  
"She knows that,Ed."Peterson replied softly,"She knows."   
  
Ed felt his eyelids close as his strength left. His last thought was of   
Sloan and the baby as blackness closed in.   
  
***  
  
"I take it the job is complete?"Colin asked as soon as Tom stepped into   
the office.   
  
Tom was tired of playing games,"You know the answer already so why drag   
me in here for a status report?"   
  
Colin smiled as he rose behind his desk,"Because I like to cover all my   
bases. The poison dart was a very nice touch, by the way."   
  
"It was a means to an end."Tom replied as he sat down in a chair across   
from Colin's desk.   
  
Colin retook his seat,"And I suppose you now want our alliance to end?"   
  
"That was our deal."Tom replied struggling to keep all emotion out of   
his voice.   
  
Colin leaned back in his chair,"I'm afraid that deal has changed."   
  
***  
  
"This is the way back to the university."Attwood commented as he   
recognized the familiar street names.   
  
Lewis leaned forward resting the gun on the back of the seat,"Ironic   
isn't it? All those days of waiting for news and she was less than two   
blocks away."   
  
Walter looked back at Lewis then to the cluster of highrise building   
that rose above the university. "So are you going to tell us who is   
behind this or are we just going to go into this situation blind?"   
  
Lewis glanced at Sanchez and momentarily catered the thought of shooting   
her and tossing the woman out of the car. She was too highstrung for the   
delicatcy of this mission. But he dismissed the thought as quickly as it   
had come. Like it or not he needed both of them if his plan was going to   
work.   
  
"You might say I have an inside track on who is holding the good   
doctor."   
  
"You said that already."Attwood snapped his migraine increasing by the   
second. He was growing increasingly tired of theh man's riddles.   
  
"The person holding Sloan is my dear brother, Colin."   
  
Lucy laughed as she turned in her seat to face Lewis,"That's a good   
one,Lewis. Do you really expect us to believe that you come from a   
family like the Waltons and are just the black sheep? And that the good   
little John-boy is the one holding the all-mighty Doctor Parker?"   
  
Attwood winced at the televison references but Lewis didn't seem   
to notice them.   
  
"There has been a power struggle taking place among my species over the   
last few weeks that Doctor Parker consequently became a pawn in."   
  
"So what do you want us to do?"Sanchez demanded as she folded her arms   
across her chest,"Wait for the cover of darkness and storm the castle   
and rescue the fair damsel?"   
  
"Precisely,Ms. Sanchez, that is exactly what we are going to do."   
  
Attwood sighed inwardly as he eased the car through an intersection and   
followed the instructions Lewis gave them.   
He could only hope that Tate had things under control at his end.   
  
***  
  
"Why the change?"Tom asked as he leaned back in the chair,"I thought   
Tate was dead?"   
  
Colin nodded,"He is, but did you really think it would be that easy to   
slip away from your own kind?"   
  
Tom didn't say a word waiting for the other shoe to drop.   
  
"You are correct that our deal to ensure Doctor Parker's freedom has   
been completed but in order to gain yours I'm afraid it will be more   
complicated."   
  
***  
  
Over the next hour Ray lost count of how many times he reached for the   
phone to call an ambulance.   
Ed's breathing had become increasingly labored and his skin was the   
color of moonlight.   
Peterson ran a weary hand over the back of his neck and sighed. At least   
Sloan's condition hadn't changed. Ray didn't know what he would do if he   
lost both of them the same day.   
Especially if he could have done something to save them.   
He had continued to try to reach Attwood without sucess.   
Which sent Ray's police instinct's on edge. The timing was just too   
coincidental for Ray's taste.   
Sloan was dying from an unknown poison.....   
Ed was fighting the affects of a poison that may or may not have been   
given by Tom......   
Now Attwood had gone incomunicado......   
Not good, not good at all.   
When had everything gone to hell?   
  
Just as Ray was about to hit redial for the hundredth time he saw Tate   
stir.   
Peterson raced to his friend's side. He glanced at the IV and saw that   
it was nearly empty. Which he hoped was a good sign.   
Ed coughed and struggled for air as his body fought to regain   
conscienceness.   
  
"Easy....take it easy,Ed."Ray commanded softly.   
  
After what seemed like an eternity Ed managed to force his eyes open.   
He felt like he had been run over by a train but otherwise he couldn't   
feel any other effects of the poison.   
  
Ed glanced out the window and saw dusk starting to color the sky,"H-How   
long was.....I out?"   
  
Ray felt relief wash over him as he realized at least part of this   
nightmare was over,"Almost two hours. How do you feel?"   
  
"Like I had two hundred tequlia sunrises."Tate replied drily as he   
struggled into a sitting position,"How's Sloan?"   
  
Peterson placed a hand on his shoulder easing him back down,"She's fine   
Ed, no change. You need to rest."   
  
Tate shook his head,"No time. I gotta find a way to counteract whatever   
the hell those bastard's gave her."   
  
********  
  
"Any news on the APB?"Katherine Krieg asked as she took a frozen   
cappuchino out of the break room's refridgerator.   
  
Hurst shook his head as he sat down at one of the small tables,"Not yet   
but with him being a Fed its gonna be tough tracking him down."   
  
Katherine sat down across from him,"I have every confidence in you."   
  
Hurst glared at her slightly,"Gee thanks, I'll go get my magnifine glass   
out of my Sherlock Holmes how to be a detective kit."   
  
Krieg ignored the joke as she took a long swig of the cold drink,"We're   
running out of time on this one. Just got off the phone with Wolenczak."   
  
Peter raised an eyebrow,"The great commissoner? What did his highness   
want today?"   
  
Krieg set the small bottle down,"He's getting pressure to close this   
case now. He wants us to label it a homicide."   
  
Hurst shook his head,"We haven't found Parker's body yet."   
  
"We may never find her body."Krieg replied sadly as she recalled her   
interview with Tate,"We'll get more cooperation from the Fed's on   
finding Daniels if this gets shelved as a Homicide."   
  
"Okay."Hurst replied as he stood,"I'll get the paperwork started."   
  
***  
  
"What else?"Tom demanded in a controled voice.   
  
Colin leaned back in his chair,"You betrayed your own kind,Tom. Did you   
really think we'd just ignore that?"   
  
Tom stood and waited for the other shoe to drop. He had known this time   
was coming since he had first met Sloan.   
  
"There are certain ones among us who think you would be our next leader.   
There's a small fortune available to whoever brings the 'prodigal son'   
back to the fold."Colin stated as he watched Tom closely,"However there   
are others who think you have over stayed your welcome and are a threat.   
Now which group should I hand you over to?"   
  
Tom's eyes narrowed sharply,"I did what you asked, Tate's dead."   
  
Colin nodded,"And you handled that part of the bargain very well.   
Considering Tate's best friend was your lady love. I guess my question is   
how badly do you want to see her again?"   
  
Tom's eyes flashed dangerously but he held his tounge.   
  
Colin stood and walked back to the window watching the sun drop below   
the horizon,"So many choices.......too bad all of them end badly for   
you."   
  
***   
  
On a hunch Ed drew a sample of his own blood and a new sample of   
Sloan's. As he slid them both under the microscope he knew the poison's   
weren't the same but he was hoping they'd at least give him a lead.   
Ray felt like a mother hen but he watched Ed like a hawk. The young man   
was still too pale for Peterson's taste.   
  
"Ed, why don't you take a break? We can grab something to eat."Ray   
suggested as he leaned against the corner of the desk.   
  
Tate shook his head ignoring the wave of dizziness that accompanied   
it,"I'm okay,Ray, just a little weak. This is the closest I've been to   
figuring out what kind of poison they used on Sloan. I can't stop now."   
  
Peterson backed off knowing he would'nt get Ed to budge,"Do you have any   
other contact numbers for Attwood?"   
  
Ed glanced up from the microscope,"You still haven't tracked him down?"   
  
Ray shook his head,"No, and with everything that's going on its not good   
that he's been out of contact for this long."   
  
Tate glanced at the clock and frowned,"He doesn't know we have Sloan   
back he might have gone underground with one of his goverment contacts.   
You might try looking in his office but I doubt he kept anything crucial here."   
  
Ray glanced at Sloan's still form,"Can't hurt to look. At least I'll   
feel like I'm doing something constructive."   
  
Ed's next sentance halted Peterson in the doorway,"Ray, thanks for   
everything."   
  
Peterson glanced back at his friend,"You guys saved my neck a few times.   
I'm just returning the favor."   
  
*******  
  
Tom stalked the suite like a caged tiger. There was no point in hiding   
his frusteration any longer.   
Colin had banished him while he decided what to do with him.   
Which left Tom in limbo.   
He hated limbo.   
  
Tom sat down on the sofa and stared at the door. He had thought of just   
leaving. His deal with Colin was completed but Tom knew he couldn't. If   
he left that Colin would discover that he had 'failed' in his mission   
and that Tate was still alive.   
Which would bring Colin's wrath down on Sloan and the baby.   
Tom shook his head...he hadn't been there when she needed him but he'd   
be damned if he let anything else harm her.   
He just had to be ready for whatever Colin threw at him.   
  
***   
  
Attwood had a bad feeling about this whole situation.   
The unlikely trio had entered the highrise through a service enterance   
in the underground garage just after dusk.   
  
/This was nuts./Walter thought darkly,/They only had one gun between   
them. Nevermind the fact that the new species could detect them./   
  
"I'm assuming you have a plan."Walter whispered as the three people   
crept along the lines of cars heading for a frieght elevator,"Now might   
be a good time to let us know what we're doing."   
  
"All in good time,Doctor."Lewis replied distractedly.   
  
"They can detect us."Lucy commented voicing Attwood's earlier   
thought,"How do you plan to get around that?"   
  
Lewis kept his gaze on their destination,"If I was concerned about that,   
Ms. Sanchez I would not have brought you along."   
  
"I'm honored."Lucy replied sarcasticly under her breath just as Lewis   
stopped suddenly causing the others to collide into him.   
  
"We have to take the stairs."Lewis announced as the trio stopped about   
two rows before the frieght elevator.   
  
Lucy glared at him,"No, if they know we're here which they probably do.   
We'll be wasting time taking the stairs."   
  
"She has a point."Attwood replied as his eyes constantly scanned the   
garage looking for any signs of an attack.   
  
Lewis turned to face them,"We do not have time to debate this. If you   
both wish to live to see another sunrise you will do what I say without   
question."   
  
Sachez opened her mouth to protest but Walter quickly clamped a hand   
over her mouth.   
  
Lucy shook him off but they both had to move quickly to catch up with   
Lewis who was already a flight above.   
  
***  
  
Ed stared in amazement at the blood samples beneath the microscope lens.   
Not only were the poisons alike they were practicly twins.   
Tom had sent him the antidote.   
  
Tate jerked his head up and glanced at Sloan. He instantly regreted the   
fast movement as a wave of dizziness washed over him.   
Ed sighed,he just wish Tom had found a much less painful way to deliver   
it.   
Ed carefully took the two blood samples out and set about to make the   
antidote. He just prayed that they were in time. 


	6. Love Comes Once chapter six--end

Detective Peter Hurst shook his head in amazement as he stepped back   
into the police station an hour later.   
  
"Well?"Katherine Krieg asked as she stepped out of her office.   
  
Peter held up a folded piece of white paper,"I think Watson's clerk   
processed this warrent so fast the wheels of justice left tire marks on   
the pavement."   
  
Krieg took the arrest warrant from him,"Well you know what they say   
about the wheels of justice...."   
  
Peter smirked,"Yeah, you apply enough grease or pressure and they spin."   
  
Katherine grabbed her coat,"Come on,maybe if we're lucky we can put a   
happy ending on this case."   
  
Hurst glanced at his friend with a raised eyebrow,"Happy ending? And how   
long have you been in this business?"   
  
The brown haired woman slapped him playfully on the shoulder,"I'm not   
that cynical,yet."She took a pair of car keys from a hook near the   
door,"I'm driving."   
  
Peter reached for the keys in her hand,"Uh,uh. Last time you nearly got   
me killed."   
  
Krieg ducked out of his reach and dashed through the doorway,"How was I   
to know the guy was going to run a red light?"   
  
Hurst rolled his eyes,"It was a high speed chase of course the nutcase   
was going to run a red light...."   
  
***  
  
Tom was looking out the window when he sensed another of his kind. He   
didn't turn as the door opened revealing Colin.   
  
"I'm surprised you didn't send a messanger."Tom quipped.   
  
Colin smiled as he closed the door behind him,"And miss the look on your   
face?"   
  
Tom remained silent as he folded his arms across his chest.   
  
"You are a skillful ally that I would like to keep around."Colin stated   
as he walked into the center of the room and sat down in a low backed   
black leather chair,"But you set certain things in motion months ago   
that must be accounted for."   
  
Tom glared at his captor,"If you're going to kill me,do it."   
  
Colin laughed,"Kill you? My boy, that would be far too easy. We need to   
make an example of your actions so that none of our youth think of them   
as 'people'. Our species is the only one for this planet."   
  
***  
  
Ray watched from the foot of Sloan's bed as Ed filled a syringe with a   
bright blue liquid.   
  
"Will it work?"Peterson asked anxiously as his brown eyes flickered from   
  
Sloan's still form to the heart monitor and back again.   
  
Ed didn't reply for a moment as he fought off a combination wave of   
nausea and dizziness. Once it passed he looked down at his friend's   
still form,"I wish I knew,Ray,but there are just too many variables. The   
poisons are a match but other than that I still don't know as much as   
I'd like about them."Tate looked down at the antidote in his hand then   
back at Sloan,"On one hand its too risky to take a chance with her   
life,their life. But on the other its the only chance she has."   
  
"Ed,you know Sloan would be the first one to tell you to go for   
it."Peterson replied.   
  
Tate nodded pushing aside any further doubts aside and inserted the   
syringe into the IV.   
  
As Ed pushed down on the plunger of the needle he prayed that he was   
doing the right thing.   
  
*******  
  
"This is stupid."Lucy muttered as they continued to   
climb. They had caught up with Lewis on the fifth   
floor.   
Now they were on the twelve. Check that....thirteen.   
  
Walter glared at her but Lucy cut him off before he   
could say anything,"Don't tell me to shutup. They   
already know we're here. Whispering won't keep our   
presence a secret."   
  
"If you two will quit bickering for a moment,"Lewis   
said calmly without turning around,"I will tell you   
what you need to do. And to calm your worries Ms.   
Sanchez, they do not know we are here."   
  
Lucy raised an eyebrow,"Then why take the stairs?"   
  
"Precautionary tactic only,I assure you."Lewis replied   
as he stopped on the landing of the fourteenth floor.   
  
"You blocked our presence."Attwood stated the   
scientist part of him still amazed at what the new   
species's brain could do.   
  
"Very good,Doctor."Lewis replied with a smile,"You   
might have a place with our species after all."   
  
Walter glared at him,"I'll pass,thanks."   
  
"Are you going to fill us in on what the plan is or   
doesn't the all mighty Lewis have one?"Lucy asked as   
she leaned against the wall.   
  
Lewis's only reply was to look at her for a long   
moment before turning and opening the door to the   
hallway.   
  
"Great."Sanchez muttered darkly,"I should've shot him   
when I had the chance."   
  
Ed Tate fought the urge to glance at the clock. It   
wouldn't tell him any new information.   
It was nine o'clock.   
Three long hours since he had injected Sloan with the   
antidote.   
Ed weakly sat down at his desk and rested his face in   
his hands.   
There hadn't been any change in Sloan's condition.   
And what worried him the most was the fact that the   
baby's heartbeat was slower.   
  
Ed raised his head and looked over at his best friend.   
But then again with the difference in the baby's DNA   
the slower heart rate could mean nothing.   
Ed sighed he had tried Attwood's number himself over   
the last few hours and recieved no answer.   
That concerned Tate.   
Sure Walter had dropped out of sight a few times but   
he'd always let ethier him or Sloan know where he was.   
  
Ray stepped back into the room carrying a tray of   
food. He placed a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a   
glass of juice in front of Tate.   
  
At Ed's look Ray shook his head,"Don't argue with me   
this time,Ed. You need to eat. Your body's been   
through a lot the last couple hours."   
  
Ed nodded as he picked up the spoon. He forced down   
three spoonfuls before his stomach started doing   
flipflops.   
Tate had just pushed the bowl away when he caught the   
concerned glance that Ray threw in Sloan's direction.   
  
"What?"Ed asked anxiously as he stood. As he moved   
closer to Sloan he saw what had caught Peterson's   
attention.   
Sloan's heartbeat was increasing.   
Ed tried to keep a reign on his emotions as he glanced   
at other monitors.   
Her breathing was calmer.   
Could it be.......   
  
"What's happening?"Ray asked his dark eyes filled with   
concern   
  
Ed swallowed hard in an effort to get control of his   
voice,"She's coming around."   
  
******  
  
"What was the point of getting a warrant if we didn't   
have a fix on this guy?"Hurst muttered darkly as he   
tossed the empty sterophone cup onto the dashboard.   
  
"Its not the first time the Feds have lied to us to   
save their own buts."Katherine replied wearily as she   
tossed down her cell phone and stared out at the dark   
street.   
  
They had been pretty much driving around in circles   
for the last three hours and Peter wasn't the only one   
who was sick of it.   
  
Hurst shook his head in frusteration,"Yeah but they've   
never hung us out to dry this badly before."   
  
Krieg nodded as she glanced down at the various junk   
food wrappers scattered about the front seat of the   
car,"I'm starving let's get some real food and hash   
this out. We have to be missing something obvious."   
  
***  
  
Tom watched neutrally as Colin stepped away from the   
door allowing three armed men entrance.   
Tom didn't move.   
He didn't think.   
Thinking would lead to emotion.   
Emotion would betray him....betray his secret.   
  
Colin watched him closely,"You're going to make this   
as difficult as possible aren't you?"   
  
Tom remained silent....impassive.   
  
Colin shrugged as he nodded to the men,"All the more   
fun then."   
  
***  
  
Sloan Parker felt like she was floating on a white   
puffy cloud in a clear blue sky.   
There was no pain.   
No sound.   
Then as if a magician was preforming a magic trick the   
cloud was gone....yanked out from underneath her.   
She was falling....   
Fast......   
Into a world of nothing but pain and fear.....   
No matter how hard she tried Sloan couldn't find a   
handhold to stop her fall.   
  
***  
  
"Sloan?"Ed Tate called tersely as he anxiously watched   
for any signs of movement.   
  
"Anything I can do?"Ray asked softly from the other   
side of the bed.   
  
Ed's gaze didn't wavier from Sloan,"No, there's   
nothing I can do. Its up to Sloan wether she want's to   
fight through the pain."   
  
At that moment Sloan's body jerked as her   
conscienceness struggled to figure out what was going   
on.   
To figure out how to breathe again.   
To figure out how to think again.   
  
"Sloan?"Ed called again as he fought to keep a reign   
on his emotions. Sloan needed him to keep a cool head.   
Finally....nearly three weeks since Ed had last seen   
her standing in her apartment....Sloan Parker opened   
her eyes.   
  
"Tom?"The scientist asked in a hoarse,weak voice.   
  
*******  
  
Lucy Sanchez nearly slammed into the back of Lewis as   
he quickly stepped back into the stairwell.   
  
"What....."Walter asked but a gesture from Lewis   
silenced him.   
  
"Stay put."Lewis ordered as he started to slip out   
into the corridor.   
  
Lucy grabbed his shoulder,"There's no way we're just   
staying here..."   
  
Lewis snatched her wrist and twisted it painfully as   
he slammed her back against the wall next to   
  
Attwood,"Ms. Sanchez, if you wish to survive this   
little escapade I suggest you remain silent and trust   
that I have your best interests at heart."   
  
Lucy furiously broke Lewis's grasp allowing him to   
turn and walk out into the hallway.   
  
***  
  
Tom had decided that he wasn't going to resist   
whatever punishment that Colin decided on.   
Especially if it got him back to Sloan faster.   
But when the fists started to fly instinct kicked in   
and Tom found himself fighting back.   
He managed to knock out three of Colin's men before   
Colin had enough of the situation.   
  
"Enough!"Colin ordered as he stepped forward,"Take him   
outside. You know where to deliver him to!"   
  
The men scrambled to their feet and grabbed Tom   
roughly by the shoulders and dragged him out of the   
room.   
  
***  
  
Ed gently helped Sloan into a sitting position as he   
handed her a glass of water.   
  
"Take it easy."Ed ordered as he crouched on the right   
side of the bed resting his arms on the metal   
railing,"The last thing we need is for you to have a   
relapse. That means no over doing it on anything   
including talking."   
  
Sloan looked from Ray to Ed and back again. They were   
both clearly worried about something besides her   
health.   
  
"Baby?"Sloan asked hoarsely her eyes wide with   
concern.   
  
Ed gently took one of her hands in his,"As far as I   
can tell the poison had no effect on the baby. The   
heart rate's a little fast but that could be from the   
difference in DNA."   
  
Sloan nodded as her head fell back against the pillow   
her eyes drifting closed.   
  
Tate stood motioning for Ray to leave the room,"Get   
some rest,Sloan. I'll be back in a little while to   
check on you."   
  
As Ed turned to leave he felt a hand grab his elbow he   
turned back toward Sloan,"Sloan?"   
  
The young woman met her best friend's gaze her eyes   
filled with fear,"Ed,find Tom. He needs us."   
  
*******  
  
In a small all night diner near Whitney University   
Hurst and Krieg sat at a back booth.   
They had four files and two notepads spread out   
amongst cheeseburgers and french fries.   
  
"Okay,"Katherine began as she picked up a pencil,"Lets   
treat this like any other homicide case."   
  
Hurst raised an eyebrow,"Treat it as a normal case?   
Okay we have our victim who's the scientist who blew   
the lid on this new human species. The main suspect in   
her death is her boyfriend who's an FBI agent. We have   
a John Doe who went to college with the victim who   
turns out to be one of the new species."   
  
Krieg took a sip of her soda,"Okay so normal may have   
been the wrong term but I think you have something   
there."   
  
Hurst glanced up from his burger,"What?"   
  
Katherine thumbed through her notebook,"Our John Doe.   
If we can trace his steps we might be able to find out   
why he was killed in Daniels's room."   
  
Peter smirked,"He was there because Daniels's lured   
him there to kill him."   
  
Katherine ignored her partner's attempt at   
humor,"Think about it,Peter. This guy's a FBI agent.   
He knows his girlfriend's missing he's not going to   
risk her safety buy getting arrested for killing a guy   
in his rented room."   
  
"You're assuming he cared about her at all."Peter   
replied through a mouthful of fries.   
  
Krieg rubbed her head in a futile effort to get rid of   
her headache,"Alright,let's forget the love story for   
now and concentrate on the John Doe. What was his name   
again?"   
  
Hurst reached for a file on the opposite side of the   
table nearly toppling Krieg's soda in the   
process,"Timothy something."   
  
"Here it is,"Hurst stated as he opened the   
file,"Timothy Hanson."   
  
***  
  
When Lewis had peaked out into the corridor he had   
been just in time to see Tom being pulled into the   
hallway.   
Now as he started to follow the group who had taken   
Tom he could only hope that Attwood kept Sanchez under   
control.   
His plan and Daniels's safety depended on it.   
  
***  
  
Tom barely noticed that the elevator had reached its   
destination.   
He was too busy trying not to think.   
Thinking would give away what he was trying to protect   
the most.   
Which was hard to do when all his instincts were   
asking him if this was the right thing.   
But it was too late to back out now.   
He had to go with the flow and see where things led.   
Perhaps them he could find an opening to escape.   
  
Colin had just stepped out of the elevator and into   
the parking garage when his cellular phone rang. He   
cursed as he motioned for the men holding Tom to stop.   
  
"Whatever it is,it can wait."Colin snapped as he   
answered the phone,"I don't care who it is; you know   
what I'm in the middle of. Fine I will be there   
shortly."   
  
As he ended the phone conversation Colin turned to   
face the henchmen,"Gentlemen I'm afraid you'll have to   
handle this transfer yourselves. I assume you can   
handle this without any problems?"   
  
A red haired man in his mid thirties nodded,"Yes,Sir."   
  
With a nod Colin turned and retreated into the   
elevator.   
  
***  
  
Tate put a reasurring hand on Sloan's shoulder as he   
gently pushed her back against the pillow,"Tom's   
fine.You need to rest,Sloan, you've been through a   
lot."   
  
Sloan glared at him,"I know what I've been through,Ed.   
If Tom was fine he'd be here. He's trapped in a life   
that he's tried so hard to distance himself from."   
  
Ed's eyes flickered to Sloan's heart monitor which had   
started to increase,"Ray and I will look for him,I   
promise. But only if you promise me that you'll get   
some rest."   
  
Sloan's eyes were already drifting closed as she   
nodded,"Promise."she replied softly.   
  
******  
  
Ed slowly stepped away from Sloan's bed as he turned   
and motioned for Ray to step out into the hallway.   
  
"How's she doing?"Peterson asked with concern.   
  
Tate nodded wearily,"I think she's out of danger for   
now. But the baby's increased heart rate does have me   
concerned."   
  
Ed felt a wave of dizziness threaten to wash over him.   
He ignored it as he leaned against the wall,"Any luck   
tracking down Walter?"   
  
Peterson shook his head,"No and I've done everything   
short of placing an A.P.B out on him."   
  
"I don't think that'll do us any good anyway."Tate   
replied softly,"Attwood will resurface when he chooses   
to and not a moment before. What we have to do now,for   
Sloan's sake, is find Daniels."   
  
"You think he's still alive?"Ray asked as he glanced   
at Sloan's still form,"If they found out about his   
betrayal....."   
  
Ed nodded,"I know,but Sloan believes he's still alive   
and that's what counts."   
  
***  
  
As Tom was being herded into the black sedan he felt   
an all too familiar presence behind him.   
  
"Gentlemen,"Lewis ordered hoping he had his   
'brother's' mannerisms correct,"You may leave,I will   
handle this on my own."   
  
The red haired man blinked as he turned to face the   
older man,"But you just said that you wanted us   
to...."   
  
"Are you questioning my orders?"Lewis demanded as he   
took a threatening step forward.   
  
The man hesitated,"No,but....."   
  
"Leave,before I decide to increase your   
punishment."Lewis replied in a clipped tone.   
  
The men quickly left the garage without a backwards   
glance.   
  
Tom stood his ground his hands clasped behind his   
back,"You might as well kill me,because I will not go   
back to you."   
  
Lewis smiled,"If I wanted you dead I would've done   
that a long time ago. There was a time I wanted to   
punish you for your betrayal of our species but a   
larger threat has come into focus that must be delt   
with."   
  
"He let me get Sloan out."Tom replied softly his blue   
eyes constantly watching the garage for signs of a   
threat,"She's with Tate."   
  
Lewis started walking toward the stairs,"Good,then the   
four of us should be able to take care of what needs   
to be done without any distractions."   
  
"Four of us?"Tom asked as they entered the stairwell.   
  
Lewis nodded,"Yes I thought reinforcements might be a   
good idea."   
  
***  
  
"That's it,I'm out of here."Lucy announced as she   
sprang away from the wall and gripped the door handle.   
  
Walter snatched her by the elbow,"I do not wish to   
stay here any longer than you. But did you forget that   
we are unarmed?"   
  
Lucy grinned,"Since when did that ever stop   
you,Walter? Or have you gotten soft in your old age?"   
  
Attwood smiled briefly,"Soft no, realistic,yes."   
  
Lucy gestured toward the closed door,"He's left us   
here to die. I don't know about you but I'm not going   
to sit here and wait for them to find us."   
  
"He'll come back."Walter replied as he stepped away   
from the wall.   
  
Lucy's eyes narrowed,"Why do you suddenly have so much   
faith in him?"   
  
"The players have changed."Walter said quietly,"But   
not the game. We have to choose our alis's whenever   
opportunity permits us to do so."   
  
******  
  
With Attwood nowhere to be found Ray and Ed decided   
that Peterson would be the best one to look for Tom.   
  
"You know when this is all over we're going to need a   
few more people to fight for the good side."Ray said   
with a grin as Tate walked him out to his car,"This   
one against a million odd thing is getting a little   
old."   
  
Ed nodded in agreement,"Hopefully Daniels will be able   
to bring a few of them over to our side."   
  
Ray unlocked his car,"Guess I'll start from where Tom   
was staying and work from there. Unless you have a   
better idea."   
  
Peterson turned at the younger man's silence only to   
discover Ed's still form sprawled on the sidewalk.   
The effects of fighting the remnants of the poison   
combined with the stress of the past week had finally   
taken their toll.   
  
Ray shook his head as he gathered his friend in a   
fireman's tackle,"You just wouldn't take care of   
yourself,would you?"   
  
Peterson carried Ed back into the lab hoping that Tom   
could take care of himself for a little while longer.   
  
***  
  
Lucy and Attwood had just stepped out into the   
corridor when they came face to face with Lewis.   
  
"I thought I told you to stay put."Lewis demanded in a   
hushed tone as he and Tom manuvered the duo back into   
the stairwell.   
  
Lucy glared at him,"We got tired of awaiting your   
presence."   
  
For the first time Walter noticed Daniels,"Tom,what   
are you doing here?"   
  
"Its a long story which we don't have time to explain   
now."Tom replied with a grim smile.   
  
Attwood nodded,"Do you know about Sloan?"Walter asked   
quietly as he glanced at Lewis.   
  
Tom nodded solemnly,"Yes and she's safe."   
  
"Then we have no need to stay here."Attwood replied as   
he turned around and started to head for the stairs.   
  
"I assure you doctor,"Lewis replied,"There is a larger   
threat that must be delt with."   
  
***  
  
"You know it would help if we had the guy's   
birthdate."Peter Hurst muttered as he tapped the   
necessary information into his laptop computer as   
Krieg pulled the car away from the diner.   
  
"That's what computers are for."Katherine replied as   
she made a left turn.   
  
"Funny."Hurst commented dryly as he tapped several   
keys,"Okay I've got at least twelve Hanson's listed in   
the general Los Angeles area."   
  
Peter glanced out the window,"Isn't this the way back   
to Whitney?"   
  
"I figured if he was sent to keep an eye on Parker   
he'd stay close to where she worked."Katherine replied   
as she changed lanes to pass a slow moving car.   
  
Hurst cast his partner a sideways glance,"You're   
starting to sound like the X-files. You're assuming   
this new species even knew of his connection to   
Parker."   
  
Krieg nodded,"I know it sounds like a stretch,but its   
the only thing that makes sense. They knew of the   
connection and he knows why she was killed. Which is   
why he ended up at Daniels's place."   
  
******  
  
In less than ten minutes Lewis's team had a plan. Or   
at least one that he could live with.   
Whether or not it would work was another story.   
Leaving the others in the stairwell Lewis and Tom   
ducked back into the hallway.   
Tom didn't like the fact that the plan called for   
Lewis to have a gun pressed against his back.   
He had trusted Lewis once before and it had ended   
badly. How could he do it again with so many lives   
riding on it?   
  
As if sensing his doubts Lewis said quietly,"We've   
come full circle from student/teacher to equals. This   
will work."   
  
Tom was about to reply when he realized they were at   
the door to Colin's office.   
  
Lewis kicked open the door coming face to face with   
Colin who had sensed their approach,"I believe you   
lost something,brother."   
  
Colin's eyes narrowed sharply,"You don't have as much   
power as you think,brother. I would take great care of   
how you approach this."   
  
***  
  
After Tom and Lewis left Lucy and Attwood took the   
guns Lewis had given them and headed out into the   
hallway in the opposite direction.   
  
"There's no way this is going to work."Lucy muttered   
darkly as she and Walter rounded a corner,"How are we   
going to keep the 'soilders' occupied with just two   
guns between us?"   
  
Walter smiled grimly as he warily looked in an open   
doorway as he passed,"Well you know the old   
saying....."   
  
Lucy glanced at him,"Once a fool always a fool?"   
  
Attwood shook his head,"No,the pen is mightier than   
the sword. Weapons aren't always the only way out of a   
situation."   
  
Lucy moved a few steps ahead of Walter as they moved   
single file against the wall,"Well,if you have any   
ideas now would be a good time."   
  
Before Attwood could reply three of Colin's 'henchmen'   
appeared almost out of nowhere.   
  
"Drop your weapons."A young brown haired man ordered   
sharply.   
  
Lucy shook her head,"Drop yours first."   
  
A blond man who appeared to be the leader of the trio   
stepped forward a dark smirk on his face,"Do you   
really think you can take on all of us?"   
  
The black haired woman grinned as she took a step   
foward,"I think we could take out more of you than you   
think. Do you really think we were dumb enough to come   
here alone?"   
  
Walter sighed inwardly as he took the safety off of   
his gun. His mind was scrambling to come up with a   
safe way out of this standoff.   
  
He'd been in worse situations than this....he just had   
to think of a plan.   
  
***  
  
Now Ed completely understood what the term bone-weary   
ment. All he wanted to do was bury himself under the   
covers for a month or so but something was telling he   
couldn't, not yet.   
Ed just couldn't figure out what that was.   
Finally from somewhere he found the strength to open   
his eyes.   
  
"Hey,"Ray said as he walked over to the small cot,"I   
thought you were going to sleep for at least a few   
hours."   
  
Ed blinked as he struggled into a sitting   
position,"What happened?"   
  
"You collasped outside."Ray replied,"My guess is that   
your body finally decided that it needed some rest."   
  
Tate glanced out the door and across the hall to where   
Sloan lay,"How's Sloan?"   
  
"Sleeping."Peterson replied softly,"As you should be.   
Get some rest. I'll wake you if there's any change   
with Sloan."   
  
Ed shook his head as he stood shakily,"No, you've got   
to look for Tom. I'll rest when this whole mess is   
over."   
  
Ray placed a hand on Ed's shoulder and forced him back   
down onto the cot,"You're not going anywhere. And   
don't worry about Tom I've got a couple leads on Tom   
that I'm waiting to hear back on. So get some sleep."   
  
Ed nodded as he felt the exhaustion resurface in his   
body,"Alright, but only for an hour."Tate replied   
softly as he layed back down.   
Ed was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.   
  
******  
  
"You only have one choice here."Colin began as he   
moved the group to the center of his office,"Turn Tom   
over to me and the elders might not see your actions   
as betrayal."   
  
Lewis's eyes narrowed,"And what would they consider   
your actions to be? Are you really that deluded to   
believe that you are acting with the consent of   
everyone?"   
  
Colin leaned against the front of his desk as he   
folded his arms across his chest,"You've been out of   
the loop for awhile,Lewis. There are things being   
planned that you do not know about."   
  
Lewis pressed the barrel of the gun harder into the   
small of Tom's back forcing the younger man   
forward,"Are you going to spend all night enlightening   
us or our we going to get down to business?"   
  
Colin's eyes narrowed sharply,"You interfered with my   
plans, brother dear, why should I make any kind of   
deal with you?"   
  
"Because you know as well as I do how valuable Tom is   
to our future."Lewis replied quietly.   
  
***  
  
Walter knew he'd regret this later but he aimed his   
gun anyway. With one shot the blond adversary went   
down clutching his shoulder. The other two 1.6er's   
glanced at each other than down at the wounded man   
before reluctantly lowering their weapons.   
  
Lucy jumped slightly before turning to glare at   
Attwood,"*That* was your plan?"   
  
Walter grinned,"It worked didn't it?"   
  
Lucy shook her head,"Warn me next time."   
  
Sanchez moved forward ushering the trio into a nearby   
closet. Just as she was about to lock the door the   
brown haired youth lashed out striking her hard across   
the face.   
Lucy's eyes blazed with anger as she brought the   
weapon back up using it to shove the man back into the   
closet.   
  
Loosing his footing the man tumbled into the other   
two,"Try that again and I will shoot you!"   
  
Attwood joined her just as the blond man glared at   
them,"You may think you have the upper hand but Prey   
will die they always do."   
  
Walter shook his head firmly,"Not this prey."   
  
Lucy slammed the door shut making sure it was locked   
before turning away.   
  
Walter noticed the rapidly forming bruise on her left   
cheek,"You alright?"   
  
Lucy shook her head,"Its nothing, lets move and round   
up the rest of these toy soldiers."   
  
***  
  
Tom blinked in surprise at Lewis's statement but kept   
his face expressionless.   
  
Colin shook his head as he walked around the corner of   
his desk and press a button on his phone console,"This   
absurdness ends now."   
  
Five tense long minutes went by before Colin hit   
another button and then another.   
Still no one came.   
  
Lewis grinned,"Rather hard to keep up this pretense   
without your army isn't it?"   
  
"I can handle you without an army."Colin replied in a   
voice that was clipped and harsh. He calmly hit one   
more button on the phone console.   
On the wall closest to Tom a wood panel about the size   
of a mousepad slid open revealing a semi-automatic   
machine gun.   
  
Lewis whirled to face the weapon then looked back at   
his 'brother',"Your ace in the hole won't work."   
  
"Why is that?"Colin replied as he leaned on the desk   
his hand just inches above the button that would   
trigger the gun.   
  
Lewis raised his gun and pressed it against Tom's head   
as he cocked the hammer,"You forget that I always   
finish the game my way."   
  
Tom heard the trigger being pulled back and forced   
himself not to close his eyes. Whatever happened he'd   
meet his fate with his eyes wide open.   
Trusting Lewis this time may have turned out to be his   
Achilles' heel.   
  
Colin laughed,"You don't have the nerve to kill your   
prize pupil."   
  
"Never underestimate me,'brother'."Lewis replied   
coldly as he squeezed the trigger.   
Then at the last possible second Lewis spun around and   
fired. The bullet hit Colin square in the chest. The   
recoil sent him flying through the plate glass window   
to his death on the street far below.   
  
***  
  
Katherine Krieg was just about to turn into Whitney's   
parking lot when a call came over the radio.   
  
"43L go ahead dispatch."Hurst replied as he turned up   
the volume of the radio.   
  
"There's a John Doe with a gunshot wound at 2828   
Dover."   
  
Peter glanced out the window at the building in   
question which was only two blocks away,"That's a   
highrise,what floor is the body on?"   
  
"Negative,the body is not in the building."   
  
"Sounds like a stiff right up our alley."Krieg replied   
with a weak grin as she put the car in reverse and   
pulled back onto the main street.   
  
Hurst grimaced as he cowered in his seat mockingly   
holding up his hands in a defensive postion,"Please,   
don't tell any more jokes. Unless you want to dispense   
then to the whole department to use instead of their   
guns."   
  
Krieg glared at her partner but didn't respond as she   
smoothly changed lanes.   
She could only hope that this body answered a few   
questions instead of leaving them with more.   
That is of course if this John Doe was even connected   
to the case at all.   
  
***  
Epilog   
  
Six months later.....   
  
Sloan Parker squeezed her eyes shut as her right arm   
sprang out and grabbed the bed rail.   
The contractions were a hell of a lot more painful   
than she had ever expected.   
But as she opened her eyes and looked into Tom's the   
pain seemed much more bearable.   
Especially when she remembered the source of the pain.   
After all they had gone through by some miracle Tom   
was by her side and she was giving birth to their   
child.   
  
The contraction finally subsided and she glanced   
around the room. Despite Ed's protests Sloan had   
insisted that she have the child at the University.   
A hospital would just have too many questions,Sloan   
had reasoned with her friend.   
Besides they would know better than anyone how to   
handle any medical complication that came up during   
birth.   
Now that the moment was finally there Sloan could only   
pray that her child was healthy.   
  
"Okay,Sloan,"Ed Tate called from the foot of the   
bed,"You're fully dilated. On the next contraction you   
can start to push."   
  
Sloan nodded as she glanced from her best friend to   
Tom. She didn't know who was more nervous.   
Ray and Walter were standing quietly against the wall   
near the door. Ready to help if they were needed.   
  
Tom winced inwardly as he saw the pain cross Sloan's   
face as another contraction began.   
He glared at Ed,"Can't you give her something for the   
pain?"   
  
Sloan grasped his hand,"No.....no drugs."   
  
"Sloan...."Tom replied quietly as he took her hand in   
his.   
  
Sloan shook her head,"Drugs will risk the baby's   
health."   
  
"We don't know that."Tom replied quietly,"I don't want   
to risk your hea...."   
  
Sloan tightened her grip on Tom's hand cutting off his   
sentence as another contraction started.   
This one was more powerful than any of the others.   
Sloan bit her lower lip to keep from crying out.   
  
"Sloan,this is it."Ed stated with a smile,"Start   
pushing."   
  
Sloan nodded as she clamped her eyes shut. She forced   
herself to ride the wave of pain, using it as   
controlled energy.   
  
"That's it,Sloan."Ed commented excitedly,"I can see   
the baby's head. Two more pushes...."   
  
Sloan's eyes snapped open as she glared at her best   
friend,"Easy for you to say."   
  
Her attention was snatched away from her friend as her   
body was wracked by another contraction. Sloan forced   
her exhausted body to funnel all the remaining energy   
into one more push. No matter what Ed said this had to   
be the last one.   
She didn't think she could do any more after this one.   
  
Ed watched in amazement as tiny shoulders appeared.   
Followed by tiny legs....then suddenly he was holding   
a brand new life in his arms.   
Sloan collapsed back against the pillow so tired she   
could barely keep her eyes open.   
Tom was on his feet as he looked anxiously toward   
Tate.   
Silence.   
  
Paniced Sloan forced herself into a sitting   
position,"Ed? What's wrong? Why isn't it crying?"   
  
Rising to his feet Ed was about to reply when a tiny   
wail interrupted him.   
Ed walked around to the left side of the bed and   
gently handed the infant to its mother,"Say hello to   
your daughter,Sloan."   
  
Sloan felt tears stream down her face but she didn't   
care. Carefully she shifted position so Tom could see   
their new daughter.   
Part of her still couldn't believe that somebody was   
going to be calling her Mama.   
But as she looked into Tom's eyes she knew that   
whatever lay ahead for them they would make it through   
together.   
  
"Would you like to hold her?"Sloan asked in a quiet   
voice.   
Tom didn't look away from the tiny pair of eyes   
staring back at him.   
A daughter.   
His daughter.   
Tom felt such a rush of love surge through him that it   
nearly toppled him.   
He had a family.....a place where he could finally be   
truly happy.   
  
At Sloan's question he reached toward her,"I....."Tom   
replied his voice thick with emotion,"I'm afraid I'll   
drop her."   
  
Sloan smiled at him as she gently placed their   
daughter in Tom's arms,"No,you won't."   
  
As he accepted his daughter Tom slowly sank into a   
nearby chair. Afraid if he stood any longer his legs   
would give way. The baby slowly reached up and grasped   
Tom's right forefinger in its tiny hand.   
Not looking away from the absolute perfect picture   
before her Sloan asked Ed,"Is she really okay?"   
  
Tate nodded as he leaned against the bed   
rail,"Yes,she's perfect,Sloan."   
  
"So what are we going to call this new little bundle   
of joy?"Walter asked as he and Ray came to stand next   
to Ed.   
  
Sloan looked down at her new daughter,"I'd like to   
name her Melissa.....Melissa Ann."   
  
***  
  
Detective Katherine Krieg stood in front of her file   
cabinet, manila folder in hand.   
More than anything she hated filing cases that had   
more holes in them than swiss cheese.   
The John Doe they had discovered by the highrise   
turned out to be Colin Montgomery a CEO of a   
multi-million dollar computer company.   
But his business didn't explain his death.   
Or for that matter the connection to the Parker case.   
Tim Hansen had been employed by Montgomery for five   
years.   
  
While she was grateful that Parker had been found   
alive the good doctor's reemergence had only led to   
more questions.   
None of which were answered by Daniels to her   
satisfaction.   
But as it seemed to be more and more these days   
politics had interfered with justice.   
The Commissioner had forced her to close the case and   
place it in the cold file among countless other   
unsolved murders.   
  
"That wouldn't be the Parker file would it?"Peter   
Hurst asked as he leaned against the open doorway.   
  
Katherine grinned,"How could you tell?"   
  
"Your forehead crinkles when you're frusterated."Hurst   
replied as he walked into the room.   
  
Katherine sighed as she filed the folder and shut the   
door,"I just don't like loose ends and that case is   
full of them."   
  
Hurst nodded,"I know,so do I. But its been six months.   
If there were any new leads we would've found them by   
now. The people involved in the case aren't exactly   
cooperative. Not that I blame them, they want to move   
on with their lives."   
  
Krieg turned around,"Is that your subtle way of saying   
we should move on as well?"   
  
"That and the six open case files on my desk."Peter   
replied with a grin,"Come on, I'll buy lunch."   
  
  
END 


End file.
